Redemption
by Calliope-Beautiful Voiced
Summary: Knock Out, now on parole, and under Bumblebee's surveillance, is brought back to Earth, to keep him away from Cybertron's citizens who disapproves the Council's decision of leave him alive. Meanwhile, Ultra Magnus discovers that the war may not be over yet: Shockwave has freed the Seekers in an attempt of recover an experiment that threats everything they love... Including Earth.
1. Prologue

**Hi, there! I'm Scheherezada, and this is my first fic in... five or six years... Wow, it's been a while.**

 **Before anything else: English isn't my mother language, so I might (and I will) commit grammar mistakes; specially because I'm of those kind of people who believes in learning a foreign language through practice. I would appreciate that if you notice one of said mistakes, point it out for me so I can fix it for the next chapters. Ok?**

 **This is a story that I've been writing for a couple months now, after I listened to a friend's recomendation and watched** ** _Transformers Prime_** **. Here's a short summary: Knock Out, now on parole, is brought back to Earth by Team Prime, to protect him from all the angry citizens of Cybertron who doesn't approve the Council's decision of leave him alive. Meanwhile, on their natal planet, Ultra Magnus discovers that the war may not be over yet as he finds out that Shockwave has freed the Seekers, in order to retrieve one of his old experiments.**

 **I hope you enjoy it.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own** ** _Transformers Prime_** **, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

 **PROLOGUE**

A red bot was lying on his back, looking at his cell's grey ceiling, wondering when the council would finally decide to call him to court. He has been incarcerated for over a year, already! Sighing, he remembered when he told the 'Bots that he wanted to join them… and that girl punched him in the face… Not that he could blame them for have doubts about him; after all, they were sworn enemies for so long that anyone with brains would have their suspicions about his sudden "change of heart". He scoffed at it. No. he didn't change his mind, he just wanted to avoid this situation… He just didn't want to be a war prisoner… Well, so far for that idea.

Probably the only good part of this situation was that he was in isolation; meaning that he was out of reach of those who were now considering him a traitor, and who would, most likely, kill him. Actually, it was something he had to thank to Bumblebee, since it was the former scout who pressed the Council to put him in isolation, considering that he wouldn't survive a night-cycle in a communal cellblock. The red bot had to admit it: the young warrior was right; the others would've ripped out his spark-chamber by now…

"Hey! Come back here!" The voice of some prison guard echoed through the hallways, seconds after someone pounded against the cell's energy field.

The noise alerted the prisoner, who sat up to see what happened, realizing that a newly captured criminal was trying to reach for him. His purple eyes were fixed on him, while his yellow body struggled against the field that closed the cell; fortunately, his hands were cuffed behind his back, so he couldn't type the lock's code.

"Come back here, you scum!" The guard said, while grabbing the prisoner by the shoulders, pulling him away from the cell.

"Knock Out! Traitor! I'll have your spark! You hear me?! I'll have your spark!" The 'Con yelled as he was pulled into a hallway that led to the communal cell.

Now relaxed, the red bot slipped his legs off the bunk. That new prisoner was just another proof of the future that was awaiting for him, either if he was convicted or not… He would never be an Autobot; but he couldn't go back to be a Decepticon. Others were factionless, but it was too late for him; he was known for have been Megatron's medic. No Neutrals' colony would accept him. He was now, and forever more, an outcast. He just threw his whole life away for nothing… Sighing, the red medic stood up and gave a few steps to stretch his legs. If he ever got out of jail, what would his life be like? Rejected from any kind of society due to his faction's condition, what would he do? Would he be able to work once again as a surgeon, or would he have to accept those works that nobody else wanted in order to survive? No. He didn't want to think about it, not right now. "Everything I did in order to survive, to live another day… to come home…" Closing his eyes, he chuckled at the thought. He may not be factionless, but he sure was homeless…

Suddenly remembering something, Knock Out placed a hand over his chest before glance towards the hallway. The guards weren't looking at him. Seeing that he wasn't being watched, the red medic turned his back to the cell's door, while opening his chest-plates. Unknown to anybody, he did smuggle something from Earth; just a little memento of the only good thing that happened to him on that pitiful excuse of a planet…

He gazed at his little souvenir with affection… It was a small stuffed animal, shaped as a fox…

A child's toy…

 **That's all for now. I hope to be able to upload the next part soon enough.**

 **The next five chapters will happen during the events of the show (I wanted to introduce an OC, for later purposes); only when we reach the sixth chapter, we'll be back on the present day, in which Knock Out has switched sides.**

 **See you soon! Bye!**


	2. ONE: Rough Day

**Hello again! I have some free time now, so I decided to upload the next chapter.**

 **Thank you, Doctor Crazy Con, for your review! It made me happy to know that my English is better than I thought! Ha, ha!**

 **Oh! And I was aware that plenty people has created post-canon stories for Knock Out when I started this fic; it's just that I couldn't let go from the idea, and ended up writing it down anyway. I hope that, in the end, it would be different from the other fics.**

 **Well, before anything else, I will repeat my warning: English isn't my mother language, so I might commit grammar mistakes. I would appreciate that if you notice one of said mistakes, point it out for me so I can fix it for the next chapters. Thank you.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own** ** _Transformers Prime,_** **nor its characters. It's a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

 **ONE: Rough Day**

As usual, Knock Out was on his lab, trying to figure how to produce Synthetic Energon without a complete formula, when his communicator turned on. Megatron wanted to see him, probably to know if he made any advance with the alternative energy source; deep inside, he was starting to hate the fact that major part of Cybertronians never considered to use solar energy. It was the most popular energy source in Velocitron, his natal colony, and it was free! Then again, back in his colony, last thing you want is to step into the daylight… Sighing, Knock Out answered his leader as he got up from his seat. When he turned to leave, he couldn't help but notice just how silent the lab was, ever since Breakdown… Kind of depressed, he walked into the corridor and towards the command bridge, where Megatron seemed to be considering to rip Dreadwing's head. It was kind of strange for Knock Out, since he was used to see Starscream as the gladiator's punching bag.

"Medic on the bridge." He announced himself, while walking up towards the towering mech. "Did you call me, my liege?"

"Knock Out, yes. Seems that Soundwave has been able to locate our previous comrade, Starscream." The gladiator explained, while glancing towards the communication's chief, who kept typing into the mainframe, never minding have been mentioned. "Tell me, Knock Out, do you wish to redeem yourself from your recent failure?" The grey bot asked, then; turning to see the medic, and folding his hands behind his back.

"Of course, Lord Megatron. What do you want me to do?"

"Bring my treacherous former second in command to me." He said, before look away. "It's time for him to pay the price of his double-crossing…" He added.

"Lord Megatron, I humbly ask you to send me instead." Dreadwing kicked into the conversation, raising his right hand. "Clearly, I'm much more fitted for the job than Knock Out."

Though feeling slightly offended by the comment, the medic couldn't deny that the flyer was right about it. Coward or not, Starscream was once the Seeker's commander, meaning that he must have been a soldier of some worth in other time; he, on the other hand, was a velocitronian who studied medicine at Cybertron's Academy. He wasn't a real soldier; and, if the previous air commander decided to suddenly bring afloat his glory days on him, there was no doubt that the medic wouldn't see another sunrise.

"I made my mind, Dreadwing. I've lost too many seconds in command already." Ah, that explained it… He preferred to lose their only doctor, than to sacrifice the only decent warrior he had (besides Soundwave, of course). "However, if you do feel in need for backup, doctor, feel free to take a few troopers with you."

Meanwhile, the Autobots were dealing with their own crisis: Bulkhead was (hopefully temporary) out of service, while Arcee ran after Miko in order to calm her down, and keep her away from doing something stupid. It was enough to know that she shot an insecticon with Wheeljack's ship's cannons, when the bot told her to hit autopilot and flee; they didn't need her to run after a random 'Con or something… However, since it was around four in the afternoon and nothing happened, Bumblebee was about to ask the boys if they wanted him to take them home, when an alarm started to ring.

Quickly, Optimus stopped decrypting the location of the remaining relics, to check what the problem was. Apparently, a Decepticon signal was detected.

It was enough to make Ratchet avert his eyes from Bulkhead's treatment and walk towards the mainframe's screen. The children saw him snort as he identified the coordinates, saying that it was nonsense; that it was the same mine they took from the Decepticons on their first year on Earth, and that it was completely dried. Bumblebee also seemed to be confused by this as he arched an eyebrow and cocked his head.

"Um… Could it be that one of the relics is in that mine?" Jack wondered out loud.

"I believe that to be unlikely, Jack. But, I cannot ignore this sudden activity in an abandoned territory either." Optimus said, while considering his options. He already had an injured warrior, should he risk the safety of another? Also, it could be a trap; after all, the Deceptcions were well-aware that that mine was no longer productive. With a sigh, he turned away from the mainframe. "Ratchet, open a ground-bridge at the coordinates. Bumblebee, with me." The yellow bot chirped excitedly and walked up to his leader.

"Optimus, are you sure that it's absolutely necessary?" The medic asked, clearly worried for his friend.

The large bot looked at the medic before glimpse at the children, who were observing from the catwalk they installed.

"I understand your concern, old friend; but, as I said, I cannot ignore any activity from the Decepticons, not now that we're racing against them. If they happen to know something about Iacon's relics that we don't, it's imperative for me to make sure they do not advantage us again." He explained.

Knowing that it would be futile to try to change his friend's mind, Ratchet inserted the coordinates and opened the ground-bridge.

Inside the mine, Starscream was searching for any Energon leftovers, but it seemed that, unlike the Decepticons, the Autobots swept the excavation clean. Growling, realizing that he wasted the last three hours, the former air commander decided that it was time to go before somebody detected him. Straightening up, the flyer shoved the dust off his claws and knees, trying to think where to go next. His reserves were running low. He needed to find fuel, and he needed to find it fast; otherwise either the Autobots would take him prisoner, or Megatron would personally dismember him. His main problem was the fact that he lacked of the proper equipment to track Energon's sources, so he had to relay in the mines he already knew, hoping to find some leftovers.

Sighing, he wondered how he fell that low. He used to be one of the greatest soldiers upon Cybertron, and yet, he was now reduced to a scavenger in order to survive. He was no better than a parasite… Even worst! He was incomplete! Without his T-cog he was as defenseless as a sparkling! Somehow, he was grateful that his old teammates couldn't see him right at the moment… Skywarp would never stop mocking him; not to mention what Thundercracker might've done once he knew about those humans. In second thought, maybe it wouldn't be that bad. After all, it would mean that those two were still alive.

The sound of footsteps brought him back to reality. Someone was in the mine with him. Quickly, Starscream grabbed the Apex Armor and activated it. Whoever it was, he was protected…

He couldn't hide his surprise when he met with Knock Out, and a bunch of troopers, including an Insecticon. The doctor suppressed a laugh when he saw the former commander.

"I'm sorry… It's just… You look so…" He chuckled. "You just gave me at least twenty ways to mock you by just wearing that, Screamer."

"Laugh as much as you want, but as long as the Apex Armor is in my power, I'm untouchable!" Starscream retorted, pissed by the red medic's giggles.

Suddenly, Knock Out's eyes widened and his laughs faded. Was it the real relic? The one that Dreadwing failed in recover? No wonder Megatron didn't sent him then! If knowing that his place has been occupied by another flying bot, even more, by Skyquake's twin, Starscream would've teared the guy apart piece by piece. "And… what exactly will he do to me?" He reminded to himself, as he saw the former second in command walking towards him. There wasn't much time, he needed to figure a way to make him surrender without a fight. Then, it came to him: why was Starscream in this place to begin with? He knew that the mine was abandoned, meaning that nobody would bother him…

"Needing some juice, commander?" He asked, and the Seeker suddenly stopped. Yes, he got him. Wherever he was hiding, his fuel supplies were emptying; meaning that he was desperate for Energon; meaning that he had something to coerce him into surrender. The medic smirked. "What you say we make a deal?"

"A deal?" He repeated, suspecting a trap. He crossed his arms and arched an eyebrow. "What kind of deal do you have in mind?"

"If you surrender, and willingly come with us to the _Nemesis_ ; I'll let you surrender the armor in exchange for your life with Megatron. What you say?" Knock Out knew it was hardly probable that Starscream would agree to such conditions; he was just hoping that his despair was strong enough for him to accept.

"Ha! Yeah, right! We both know that he hates me more than he wishes this trinket!" The former air commander snapped, reaching out for the intruders. "If that's all you have, Knock Out; I strongly suggest you to get off my way…"

"You need Energon, don't you?" At the question, Starscream's face became paler. "Why else would you come here after so long?" The medic explained, while gesturing to the dark cave they were standing on. However, he also gestured the troopers to ready their weapons. "Consider my offer, Screamer. You get back both, your life and your fuel supply; all in exchange of that old rusty armor. Isn't it worth the try?"

He was two seconds away from convincing the commander to return to the warship, when the sound of gunfire came from the mine's entrance, ruining his deception. Starscream not only snapped out of the trance he was in, but charged against the medic and his guards, running away. Infuriated, Knock Out hurried the soldiers to go after the traitor; while he told the Insecticon to remain with him. Something was telling him that the Autobots probably located their signals and were expecting them outside the excavation. Since one of them has been taken down by Hardshell, it wasn't hard to believe that the others would want to take revenge in the first 'Con they happened to see… And if that was the case, better Starscream, than him…

Optimus and Bumblebee were taking heavy fire from some vehicons who were watching the mine's entrance. The yellow scout was about to lean out of his cover to answer the attack, when he noticed that their enemies were being pancaked by an armored Starscream. Surprised, he beeped something, looking at his leader.

"Indeed. It seems that he was the reason why the Decepticons came here." The larger bot granted, while looking how the former commander opened himself an escape route. Shortly after the Seeker, more troopers appeared, followed by Knock Out and an Insecticon. "It appears that Megatron is hunting his former first lieutenant."

If that was the case, Bumblebee thought that they should let them resolve their problems by their own. With that in mind, he started to consider to call for a ground-bridge and go back with Rafael and Jack; however, Optimus stopped him, saying that, enemies or not, they couldn't allow the Seeker nor the medic to run away. Complaining, the scout got ready to battle.

Knock Out exited the mine, finding the two vehicons that he left guarding the entrance completely destroyed. In the distance, some plasma explosions told him that the rest of his party was been tore apart. Tightening his teeth, the medic considered his options: if he ran after the Seeker, there were little probabilities of being spared; but, if he returned to the _Nemesis_ emptyhanded, and without any sign of struggle in his shiny armor, Megatron sure was going to kill him. Either option was bad… And was about to get worse…

A plasma shot passed right in front of his optics. Following the trajectory, he noticed that Optimus Prime and his little scout were running towards them with their weapons deployed. Though disliking the idea, he knew that this would be the perfect excuse to cover up his failure capturing Starscream; so he ordered the Insecticon to attack the Autobots, while he transformed and drove away. As expected, the Autobot commander sent the scout to chase after him. Knock Out smiled pleased by this. There was no way for him to stand a fight against a Prime, but Bumblebee was another story… Until the yellow bot shot at one of his wheels, making him lose control and crash against a nearby tree. The medic transformed, furious.

"You're going to pay for that, Bug!" He said, while running towards the scout, who was waiting for him.

Though Knock Out dodged the right hook that was meant to hit his face, he failed to see the kick that followed the punch; reason why he stumbled several steps back. Now truly pissed, he deployed his saw and threw himself against the yellow bot, who quickly grabbed the medic's arm, preventing him from reaching his head; however, now it was Bumblebee who didn't see Knock Out taking out his Energon prod. By the time he realized about the weapon, the red bot already speared him with it.

As the electric current started to run, conducted by his inner circuits, Bumblebee bended over in pain. However, his yelling alerted Optimus, who didn't hesitate in use the Insecticon he was battling as a melee weapon. Knock Out couldn't hide his horror when the giant body of the brute fell upon him.

A little stunned, the Autobot scout shook his head trying to snap out of it, noticing Optimus offering his hand to him. The young bot took it, and was helped to stand up. A few steps away from them, the red medic was struggling to get the heavy Insecticon's husk off him; but it seemed to be useless. He was too small to set himself free.

"This is Knock Out requesting backup! The Autobots are here!" He said through his commlink. However, before receive an answer, Optimus's barrel was in front of his face.

"Knock Out, I suggest you to surrender." The red and blue bot said. Behind him, Bumblebee chirped something while nodding.

Helpless and trapped, the medic rose his hands in defeat. Seeing this, the Autobot commander ordered his scout to remove the Insecticon from their prisoner; thankfully, right after his legs were set free, Laserbeak appeared in scene, shooting the Autobots from behind. Taking advantage of the situation, the red mech transformed and drove away as fast as he could. He didn't care where he was headed to; his only concern was to get as far from the battle as he could.

An hour later, he stopped and transformed again. Knock Out took two steps before collapsing on his knees, venting heavily. Worried, he looked back, making sure that nobody followed him. The way was clear, and he was miles away from the mine, so there were little chances of being found. Sighing in content, the medic decided that it was time to ask for a bridge to return to the warship… Yet, before he could do that, the sound of something falling onto the ground called his attention. He realized that he was standing at a glade's border, and, in the middle of it, a little human girl was looking at him. She had bronze skin, curly black hair, and big green eyes. She was dressed with a white summer dress, and pink flip-flops. At her feet was a small book of white covers. "Scrap…" He thought, while dragging himself towards the road and transforming to drive away.

Seconds later, he was back on board of the _Nemesis_ , apologizing to Megatron.

 **That's all for now.**

 **Remember that from here to chapter six the story will take place during** ** _Transformers Prime_** **, so have patience... I had to do it this way to create a believable relationship between Knock Out and my OC (who, as you may be guessing, is the little girl).**

 **I hope you've enjoy it!**

 **See you soon!**


	3. TWO: Someone to Talk to

**Hello again! Sorry for the delay, I had some work to do.**

 **About the fox: no, it's not Fantastic Mr. Fox. It was a good guess! But, no; it's another famous fox! You'll know which one exactly later in the story.**

 **As usual, before upload the next chapter, I warn you: English isn't my mother language, so there might be some grammar mistakes. I would appreciate that, if you notice one of said mistakes, you point it out for me. Thank you.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own** ** _Transformers Prime_** **, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **TWO: Someone to Talk to…**

He was tired. He haven't been able to recharge properly in three nights in a row, all thanks to those accursed nightmares, probable result of his extra hours. The first night he shrugged it off. It was just a bad dream, nothing to worry about… But the second and the third? C'mon! He needed to sleep! Yawning, Knock Out couldn't help but to remember his most recent nightmare, in which he sees Breakdown being tortured by Airachnid, and, unable to help his friend, all he managed to do was beg for the blue bot's life… But it got worse as the dream kept going. By the end of it, it was Knock Out who was being destroyed, but not by an enemy, but by all the friends he couldn't save. "Ah… I need to clear my mind." He told to himself as he walked out of his lab. Maybe he could ask Soundwave for a ground-bridge.

As usual, the bridge was quiet, with Megatron supervising everything. Nobody noticed the red medic who started to walk towards the communication's chief, who was glued to his station, typing codes, trying to decrypt the location of the remaining relics. But Knock Out's attention changed suddenly as an alarm rung and the picture of Breakdown popped up in one of the many screens. Astonished, he arched an eyebrow in confusion.

"Strange…" It has been so long since his termination that it wasn't possible. But, he couldn't deny that if there was any slight chance of his friend to still be alive… "Lord Megatron, it seems that Breakdown's signal has got back online." He announced, hoping for the best. Then, with a better look he found out an abnormally with the signal… "Although, corrupted…"

"How peculiar…" The gladiator, who was completely unaware of the medic's presence until then, mumbled. Knock Out's partner was terminated long time ago; though, since Dreadwing failed in recover the warrior's remains, there was a slight chance for him to have survived. However, they never picked up his signal in all this long, so they decided to declare him offline. To suddenly show up once again was suspicious. "Investigate with caution. It might well be an Autobot trick." He ordered.

"I hope not. Breakdown may act the brute, but he's a _maestro_ behind the rotary buffer." The medic said, obtaining a low growl from Megatron that made him hold back a chuckle as he lined up some guards to come along.

True, he liked his armor to shine; but his main reason to say it out loud whenever he could was to push everyone's nerves, which was his main entertainment around the warship… Well, around _everyone_ since he joined the Decepticons. A memory from that long forgotten past threatened with resurface as he walked inside the ground-bridge, but he was able to push it aside. It was worthless to think about it, anyway. But the memory kept trying to come back. Hopefully, Breakdown would help him to put it behind him once more…

When he exited the wormhole, the first thing he saw was a human military base completely destroyed. Yup. It had his friend's name written all over the place; yet, he never saw this much rage before. Maybe, he felt abandoned? Well, they did stop looking for him… But… Suddenly, he saw his friend coming out of a warehouse. Oh, he couldn't deny that to see him again made him happy… Well, it made him feel relieved since it meant that his personal quest didn't claim another friend's life; however, he was also pissed. Why didn't he tried to contact him?!

"Breakdown!" He called his friend's attention. "Where have you-?!"

When the blue bot turned to see him, Knock Out's voice failed him as the horror overtook him. The patch he made for him was completely gone; his whole body was filled with cuts and scratches, and his paintjob didn't seem to be of the same color anymore. It was like look at a monster. A creepy monster that took his old friend's face to cover up his true identity… His mind replayed a human horror movie he watched a few days ago, a piece called _Frankenstein_ , and, in fear, he had to admit that his partner resembled to that creature in his current state.

"Breakdown? What happened to you…?" He wondered with pure worry on his voice, while he gestured at the bot's body.

"A story as long as life itself." Wait a minute… That voice. It didn't make any sense… "Which isn't nearly as interesting to Megatron as this." He said, while extending a big black case to the medic. "So, _take me_ _to your leader_ …"

Knock Out looked at the case with wide eyes. He knew Breakdown too well to tell that this… thing wasn't him. The big clumsy bot he met eons ago, before the war started, would've never destroyed a whole base just to recover a damn briefcase. Whatever, _whoever_ , this creature was, it wasn't him. But he was wearing Breakdown's body as a suit, and that was a crime that he couldn't forgive. He started to rise his eyes, looking for the impostor's face, as his eyebrows frowned and his optics narrowed.

"Who are you?" The medic asked, the rage was making his eyes shine redder.

The impostor smirked and chuckled.

"You want to know?" He mocked, before bring up the case, tapping it. "Your leader. _Now_."

"… Soundwave, open us a ground-bridge…" He turned to enter the newly opened portal, but before get in, he added. "And tell Lord Megatron that we're taking an impostor onboard. Keep the guards ready for anything."

At the Autobots' base the team was trying to get used to their new member, a young bot called Smokescreen. Everyone could see that he meant well, but he was too green… A rookie. Elite Guard or not, the young bot wasn't ready, and they didn't have time to train newbies. And it seemed that Smokescreen noticed about this, because, ever since he appeared, he has been trying to fit in; but he was trying too hard, to the point of becoming unbearable… Even worst, they couldn't leave him alone with Bulkhead, or the rookie would most likely end up dead.

Arcee and Bumblebee were talking about their new teammate as they returned from the training room, but they had to stop their chattering as the femme saw Miko running towards them. Lately, the Japanese girl has spent her whole time bugging Bulkhead, trying to make him cooperate with Ratchet's treatment; so, if they had to guess, her obvious anger was connected to the Wrecker's slow recovery… Surprisingly, it wasn't what they had in mind:

"YO! 'Cee, 'Bee!" She called them, standing in front of their feet and waving her arms.

"Miko? Did something happened to Bulkhead?" The blue femme asked, making the human teenager frown and snort.

"You could say that… Mind to tell Smokescreen to leave Bulk' alone?!" She demanded, while pointing at their new recruit, who was watching the green bot do some exercises.

Sighing, both bots gestured Miko to calm down, that they would talk to him. The girl seemed to like those news, so she returned to the catwalk where Jack and Rafael were playing a game.

Oblivious to the teenager's anger towards him, Smokescreen was cheerful, as usual. His dream was becoming a reality: he trained to be an Elite Guard under Alpha Trion's and Sentinel's wing; faced his first battle on Cybertron, defending Iacon (though, since he was attacked from behind, he couldn't remember a thing about it…), and was now serving under Optimus Prime's command. He was convinced that it must've been his destiny´s work! "Though it could've spared me the hit in the head…" He thought, while massaging the back of his helm, remembering the blow he received back in Iacon City. It still hurt sometimes.

"Hey, Rookie!" Smokescreen turned around, only to see Arcee and Bumblebee walking up to him. "Mind to have a word with us?" The femme asked, while placing her hands at the sides of her hip.

"Sure!" He answered almost immediately, with a big smile on his face. "What's up?"

"Miko seems to be upset about something you told to Bulkhead."

Bumblebee beeped, while crossing his arms, arching an eyebrow, and cocking his head.

"But I didn't do anything!" The rookie said to the bots, surprised by the accusation.

The yellow scout pressed, while cocking his head to the other side.

"Of course I'm sure! I only… tried… to help…" The memory of that morning suddenly came back to him. "Um… Alright, maybe, and just maybe, I might've altered him…" Both scouts narrowed their eyes. "C'mon, guys! I meant well!"

"What did you do?" Arcee asked, sternly.

"Well, since he wants to go back to the field, but his body isn't yet in condition, I offered him the Apex Armor. As a power boost, you know…"

After the explanation, all Bumblebee was able to do was to facepalm, while beeping something under his breath.

"Yeah… I'm with him." The blue bot commented, pointing at her yellow partner.

"I was trying to help!"

"No, you were being immature, and stupid…" Arcee counterattacked, crossing her arms and frowning. Her patience towards the newbie was coming to an end.

"Ok, ok! _Maybe_ to offer the Apex Armor in such way was kind of… nonchalant and insensitive from me; but, c'mon guys! I just wanted to help him for the team's sake!" The poor bot tried to defend himself.

"Or, maybe, you wanted to look good in front of _him_ , for your _own_ sake!" The femme retorted, pointing at their leader.

Smokescreen followed Arcee's index finger, realizing that she was pointing at Optimus´s silhouette, who was working on the decryption of the relics' location, unaware of the argument his team was having. The rookie sighed, knowing it was true.

"You don't understand… My whole life I dreamed with this, with the opportunity to prove myself in front of a Prime…" He sighed and lowered his eyes for a minute. "One of my teachers was a Prime. When the Academy was under attack, he helped to evacuate our class. I literally owe him my life. I, then, decided that I should do something important with it; and so did my friends, because we were the only three survivors of our class… We were more than a hundred… Now, only Side Burn, Hot Rod, and I remain alive…" He looked into his new teammates' eyes. "I need to make things work out. I need this chance…"

Well, they sure didn't ask for a heart-tearing life story, but it did help them to understand why he was so eager to earn Optimus's approval. Not that Bumblebee couldn't relate with the feeling, after all, he was a bot who was born during the war; his world, everything he ever knew before come to Earth, was nothing else but the battlefield. When he came to age, and Optimus took him into his team as his scout, the young bot knew that, no matter the outcome, he would owe his whole life to him. Losing his voice-box was painful, but it was a small price to pay in order to protect the only family he ever had… Sighing, he exchanged a meaningful look with Arcee, who growled.

"Alright, alright." She gave up; somehow, the femme wasn't able to stand against Bumblebee's puppy eyes whenever he wanted something. "Look. You want to mend things with Bulk? Stop treating him as one of your best buddies from training, because he's not. He was a Wrecker. He has seen stuff that none of us could ever imagine. Treat him as he deserves; and know your place."

"My place?" Smokescreen repeated, confused.

"You're a rookie in this team, Smokescreen. You want respect? You've to earn it." The femme explained before turn around and leave, closely followed by Bumblebee.

From afar the kids watched the whole conversation, though they couldn't hear what they were talking about. However, they were happy to see that the new bot was finally talking with the others. Ever since he appeared, he has been trying to find a way to fit in, but he never actually approached to the other team members; well, except from Optimus, but he didn't have time to teach him the team's ways. "Hope he understood…" Jack thought, right before Agent Fowler appeared screaming in the building. Apparently, the Decepticons attacked again. This time, with the help of Silas…

Knock Out was in complete disbelief. Megatron not only didn't let him avenge his friend, but, also, invited this human, the same who tortured Breakdown months ago, to stay. He couldn't hide his rage as Cylas, or whatever his name was, talked to the gladiator, explaining some sort of weapon he invented. He was disgusted… A strong nausea hit his tanks as he looked at the intruder. To think that he went to Breakdown's rescue, and found his torturer… More even: he found his torturer wearing his husk as if it was not big deal; as if his friend would've been nothing but a stupid machine! "And I'm the responsible for this…" He told himself, remembering why they joined the Decepticons in first place.

Cylas turned to talk to Soundwave, to explain him the passwords he needed in order to activate the weapon; but, when he did, Knock Out got a perfect view of the hole that this vermin made on his friend's head.

He couldn't stand it anymore.

He couldn't share the same room with him… He couldn't share the same ship with him! He walked closer to his leader and asked permission to spend the day on the surface, alluding that he wasn't able to remain still next to the person who tried to kill his partner. His petition was so sudden that it called everyone's attention, including Cylas, who simply stared at him, watching as the medic glared daggers at him.

The gladiator saw Knock Out's posture towards their guest, and believed prudent to concede his request. Reason why he told Soundwave to open a ground-bridge for their medic; only after making the red bot promise that he would return immediately in case of an emergency. He did so, and left the _Nemesis_.

Once the red mech was gone, Cylas snorted, saying that they didn't need such a puny Decepticon for what he had planned.

"I wouldn't take Knock Out's rage so lightly if I were in your position, Cylas." Megatron warned him, while folding his hands behind his back. "You are, after all, dressing his late partner's shell; a crime which he seems unable to forgive." He explained, before walk closer to his guest, who seemed to be a little bit nervous now that he understood the medic's attitude towards him. "Back when I recruited them, their only condition was to remain together. Breakdown became Knock Out's assistant and bodyguard; but, when working as a unit, those two were fearless, both, in the battlefield and in the field clinic."

"So?" Cylas shrugged. "He's still not a warrior."

"No, he might not be a soldier; but his medical knowledge makes him an invaluable torturer…" Megatron said, almost hissed, while staring right into Cylas's eyes, sending chills down his spine.

Down, at the planet's surface, the red medic was driving on the open road. He didn't care where he was headed to; all he wanted was to burn out his rage. It was as if the universe was laughing at his pain, because he not only lost everyone he ever loved; oh, no: now, he had to put up with the guy who tortured his best friend! Revving his engine in pure hate, he sped up even more, until the whole world around him became a blur. Meanwhile, his processor was running wilder and faster than himself, replaying his whole life; since the beginning of the war, to this particular point. Why?! Was he destined to see his friends fall, one by one, while all he could do was watch in sorrow?! What did he do to deserve it?! He never planned to meet any of them! He never planned any of this to happen!

Suddenly, his hood started to hurt. Realizing that he reached his limit, Knock Out started to slow down, while trying to recognize his surroundings. It seemed familiar somehow, but he couldn't remember why, nor where he has seen that place before… Until he thought he saw something in his left mirror.

He stopped on his tracks.

A small little girl was waving at him from the middle of a wide glade. He recognized her. It was the same human of the other time; in fact, she was dressed exactly as the other day. Probably, she heard him speeding down the road; however, it didn't explain why she was waving at him. Did she want to talk to him? Why? He remembered clearly that she saw him as he truly was: a giant alien robot that transformed into a car and drove away. Other humans would've run for the hills at such encounter; so why wasn't she scared?

Even worse: before Knock Out realized, the little girl was now standing next to him.

"Hi, I'm Millie. What's your name?" She introduced herself, but received no answer. "Hello?" Silence. "Can't you talk?"

As the little girl walked around him, Knock Out followed her with his mirrors, completely dumbfounded. Not even the Autobots' human pets treated him like that; in fact, he was pretty sure that they feared him, even when they counted with Optimus's protection. Then, if she wasn't under any kind of protection; why was she being so nice with him?

Suddenly, he felt her knocking his driver's door.

"Hey, don't touch me!" He yelled, more pissed than disgusted.

His sudden response to her actions seemed to startle her a little, as she jumped on her place while retrieving her hand. However, as soon as the surprise wore off, the little girl started to laugh.

"So you do talk!" She chuckled.

"Of course I talk! I'm perfectly functional!"

"You're funny." The girl commented, with another giggle. Then, she started to walk towards the glade, stopping after a bunch of steps. "Do you want to come with me?"

Surprised, the red Aston Martin maneuvered until he was looking straight at the child.

"I beg your pardon?" He asked, dumfounded once more.

"You know; keep me company for the afternoon." She insisted.

After a long silence, she believed that he wasn't in the mood, and walked away; but the truth was that he didn't know _how_ to answer to her invitation. It has been such a long time since someone treated him with such kindness… He chuckled, rephrasing that thought: it has been _eons_ since someone treated him with _respect_ , leave alone the kindness; he was missing to be treated respectfully… as a living sentient being should be treated…

Sighing, he transformed and walked towards the little girl, who looked up to him with big wide eyes. He averted her gaze while crossing his arms, pretending not to be interested. But as he heard her laughing again, the bot knew that he was completely transparent to this human. He looked around, noticing something out of place…

"Where are your creators, fleshy?" He asked, while scanning his surroundings.

"My what?" Right, they called them differently.

"I mean your parents." He clarified, looking down at her. She shrugged and went back to her book. "What you mean you don't know? You're an organic lifeform, meaning that you need two adults of your own species to exist."

"Nobody knows where they are." The girl suddenly confessed, looking back at Knock Out, whose face softened at that statement. "Mrs. Lena found me at the doors nine years ago, with a piece of paper that had my name. Nobody saw who left me there…" She explained, going back to her book.

The red bot suddenly felt bad for her. And to think he almost accused her of being a spy of M.E.C.H…. He disgusted himself. Idiot.

"What about you? Do you have parents?" Millie suddenly asked, getting him out of his inner argument.

Knock Out scuffed and rolled his eyes. Typical organic question… Though, now that he actually thought about it… He did have creators, only that he hadn't think about them in ages. It was too painful, so he usually avoided the matter; nobody in the Decepticon army knew about his past, except for Breakdown, of course. In fact, that morning, when he thought they found his friend, he was hoping that the warrior would help him to deal with those old memories. Just like the old times…

"Are you ok?" The girl asked, suddenly, while placing a hand on his right foot. Knock Out looked at her with a surprised look. "Is there something wrong?"

"I… I'm not having the greatest day today…" He said, while looking away and covering his face with his hands. "I… I had a friend, Breakdown, my best friend actually; but… he got killed… Today we… I thought that I found him, but… It… It wasn't him. It was someone else, pretending to be Breakdown." He grunted, closing his eyes and clenching his fists. "It's all my fault! He joined the army because of me! I dragged him into this madness!"

"Why? What happened?"

The bot looked at the girl in disbelief. Why was she asking? Why she cared? She wasn't there! She didn't know about the civil war his specie was going through! She didn't know about the horrors he has witnessed! The atrocities he has done…! And yet…

He was about to ask this things to her, when his commlink turned on. It was Megatron, saying that the mission was about to fail; the gladiator wanted him back in the _Nemesis_ , ready to take care of their little… _guest_ … With a dark smile on his lips, Knock Out thanked his liege, before turn to leave. However, the small voice of Millie stopped him as she said her farewells to the bot. Why? Surprised by it, he couldn't help but to return the goodbyes, before transform and drive away.

The red medic made it right on time to see Cylas arguing with Megatron. On one of the many screens, Knock Out saw images of the satellite burning as it reentered the planet's atmosphere; it meant that the plan turned out to be a complete failure… Meaning, that it was his turn… His optics glowed like fire as he deployed his Energon prod, and approached the impostor. Megatron noticed his menacing entrance, and couldn't help but to smile, pleased by what he was seeing.

"Seems you earned your place at the table, Cylas…" He commented, rephrasing what the human told to him that morning.

"Lord Megatron, I'm honored…" The impostor said, humbly, while making a reverence.

"At Knock Out's _dissection_ table!" The gladiator clarified, seconds before the medic used his paralyzing weapon on his new science project, which fell flat on the floor. Two guards picked him up.

"Huh… Breakdown would be _tickled_." The red medic stated mockingly at Cylas, who clearly fainted at the discharge.

As the vehicons dragged a terrified Cylas towards his lab, Knock Out's mind went back to the day he met Breakdown… and, for some reason, his "close" encounter that afternoon. Perhaps, not all human beings were despicable. No. He shook that thought immediately. He was supposed to despise them, no matter what…

Yet, it was nice to know that he had someone who would listen to him.

* * *

 **Well, it's all for now. I'll try to upload next week, ok? Sorry, but, again, I have some work to do.**

 **Hope you've enjoyed the chapter! See you soon!**

 **Bye!**


	4. THREE: Nostalgia

**Hello again. Originally, I was going to upload this chapter either the Monday or the Tuesday, but a couple days ago I finished the pic that I was drawing as cover for my fic and I was so happy that I couldn't stop myself from uploading it... And then I started to fear that some would enter believing that I updated the fic when I didn't (yeah, I tend to feel guilty whenever I believe that I'm disappointing someone... It's an issue...); so, I decided to upload the third chapter tonight, and either on Tuesday or Wednesday I'm going to upload the fourth chapter.**

 **And, no. It's not StupidFox (though it's really cute! I loved it! :D). I'll say which famous fox is in chapter five. Some clues to its identity: it's french, comes from a famous children's book, and gives really good advices.**

 **Without any other anounce that I can think of, here's the new chapter.**

 **Remember: English isn't my mother language, so there might be some grammar mistakes.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own** ** _Transformers Prime_** **, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **THREE: Nostalgia**

A penetrating scream escaped through the lab's door, freezing the guard's circuits as he could only imagine the things that the doc was doing to his prisoner. He was present when this guy was brought to the ship… The trooper shivered by the mere memory of the medic's hateful eyes; believing that nobody has ever seen him so mad at someone in his life. Deep inside, he was feeling sorry for their prisoner; after all, Knock Out's reputation as torturer was well-known…

"Please… Mercy…" Cylas pleaded, panting after a long session with Megatron's medic.

"Should I believe that you had any, when it was my friend the one being torn apart?" The Decepticon said, before press his prod against his prisoner again, this time with more power. The impostor screamed so loud that he felt as if his audio-receptors turned off for as long as he held the weapon against his prisoner's body. Finally, he let go, observing with pleasure the smoke that came out of the metal. "Too bad that I can't get rid of you…" He mumbled as he put away the Energon prod.

"Why… keep me alive?"

"As a guinea pig, of course! Do you think that I would waste perfectly functional soldiers as experimental subjects! Ha!" He retorted, angrily, while going back to his computer. "We need every trooper we have." Then, he dedicated a sadistic smile to Cylas. "You, on the other hand…" Sinister laugh. "You're less than expendable; and Megatron wants you dead anyway, so, why not make you useful before terminate you?"

After the explanation, Knock Out went back to his medical files, and his experiments, wondering which one he should try first. Then, he just knew it: the Synthetic Energon formula haven't been tested yet, mostly because he was forbidden to try it in their men; but Cylas wasn't one of "their men." In pure malice, he told the impostor to wait for a minute, as he retrieved the needed instrumental from his storage. As soon as he opened the door to do so, he heard the man gasping for air behind him… and asking the medic to please forgive his life. He turned to see the human and invited him to get himself comfortable.

"Please! There must be something I can do to…! ARGH!"

Knock Out not even noticed when he grabbed the scalpel. By the time he realized, he was already stabbing Cylas in one of his junctions. He did it on instinct, pure and simple instinct: a long time ago, he learnt that Breakdown was really sensitive on his shoulders' junctions (probable result of his many years working as a laborer), so he always made sure of being extremely cautious whenever he had to touch such place… But this wasn't Breakdown, and he didn't care about his welfare. The medic pushed the scalpel harder into the junction, and heard his prey whine and squirm in pain. It was hard to see his best friend's face while doing this… He had to remind himself that it wasn't him all the time…

"The one thing I want, you can't give it to me…" He hissed, while letting go.

"But there must be… something else…" Cylas panted. "Something you want… Some reason why you're… here…" He said, looking into the medic's eyes, which turned redder than before, while his eyebrows frowned in pure hate.

Snarling, the bot threw the bloody scalpel into the plate in which was the rest of his surgical instrumental, before walk toward the opened door, where a Vehicon was standing. The drone knew that he would've hated to be on their prisoner's place the moment he heard him screaming, but to actually witness the medic stabbing his victim without mercy, while staring into his prey's eyes without even bat an eye, it was something that he wouldn't be able to forget never in his life… "I will remember to be nicer in my next medical check…" He thought, while straightening when he saw that Knock Out was walking up to him, still with that murderous sight on his face.

"Is it there anything?!" Cylas pleaded again.

"Why do you think I'm tangled in this stupid war?!" He retorted, darkly, turning to look at the prisoner. Then, he took a deep vent before turn to face the guard. "Make sure he doesn't escapes. If he tries, aim for the spark-chamber with full power."

"Understood."

Then, he went to his medical bay for a syringe.

"Who does he think he is asking me such thing?! Well, frag with him! By the time I'm done with this impostor, he will do more than beg for mercy…" The red medic was thinking as he walked down the corridor. As he entered in the medical bay, Knock Out's processor was rushing through a very dangerous rail of thoughts; one that was sending him back to the time when the war was just a mere rumor, when everything started, when he met Breakdown. Well, he could've dealt with that… but not with the memory that came later, from when he was already treating warriors in a field clinic… when _she_ stepped into his life.

He shook his head, trying to snap out of it. It wasn't the time to think about it… Actually, it would never be the time to think about it; after all, no matter how hard he wished for it, he couldn't change the past. He couldn't bring none of his friends back… Accursed war.

Suddenly, he felt someone standing behind him. Realizing he was back in the hallway, Knock Out turned around, and jolted slightly at Soundwave's figure.

"Soundwave! You scared me, I didn't hear you coming!" The medic screamed, surprised (and a little frightened) by his sudden appear. "Seriously, someone has to tie a bell to your neck…" The medic mumbled, before regain composure. "Were you looking for something?" The silent gladiator pointed at the room where Cylas was being kept. "Yes, he's still alive. I'm planning to use him as guinea-pig for the Synth-En formula." The spy seemed pleased by the answer, since he simply nodded and started to walk away; but suddenly stopped and turned to face Knock Out once again. Walking closer to the red mech, Soundwave pointed at the medic's tired face. "Oh, it's nothing. I've been having trouble recharging, that's all." The black armored Decepticon tilted his head to the side, but left anyway.

The medic, then, intended to go back to his prisoner; but, after give some steps, he tripped and dropped the syringe, which broke as it hit the floor.

"Oh, scrap!" Knock Out cursed, while kneeling down to pick up the pieces. "Oh, great; now I have to add this to my report! Fantastic!" As he bowed to pick the next shard, someone poked him in the shoulder. "WHAT?!"

The vehicon that was standing behind him flinched in fear at the sudden scream; now, it was pretty obvious that the medic was having a bad day (a bad week, actually…), so he needed to be cautious when delivering messages to him in the near future. Regaining his composure, the trooper straightened while telling the medic that Megatron was requesting an airtight container. He saw Knock Out arch an eyebrow while getting up and asking why he needed such thing. The trooper shrugged. The gladiator didn't tell him. Then, he left the medic alone.

"An airtight container? It will be hard to know the measure he wants it, if he doesn't tell me what he needs it for…" The red Decepticon thought as he returned to his storage room, looking for the recipients. He had a lot of airtight vessels, but all of different sizes; so, to actually know what Megatron exactly wanted was like win the lottery. Puckering, he decided that it would be best to borrow one of the largest. Knowing the gladiator, everything had to be big…

As he walked through the hallways towards the bridge, he noticed that the warship was moving. Were they leaving the planet? Why? As soon as he wondered about it, the vessel shook below his feet; they reached the ionosphere undoubtedly. What was Megatron planning to do now? Attack from outer space with this lone ship? "Not my businesses. Just deliver the container and go back to your duties, Knock Out…" He told himself. By the time he arrived to the bridge, they were already at the planet's mesosphere.

Megatron was talking with Dreadwing, when the medic entered the place, carrying the container he requested.

"Is this of the size you have in mind, my liege?" Knock Out asked, while handing over the vessel.

"Indeed, doctor." The gladiator replied, while taking it.

"May I ask what is it for?" The medic wondered, while tilting his head to the side.

The larger mech seemed to consider whether he should tell him or not, making Knock Out fear that he talked out of place and would be punished for it.

"I don't see why not… after all, you'll have to perform the procedure." He said, before indicate the medic to come closer. Apparently, the plan was something than only the high officers knew (and, as usual, he was being left aside…). "The only thing that would match Optimus's Star Saber is another Star Saber; and the only way to create one is with the Forge of Solus Prime."

"But, isn't it useless unless in the hands of a Prime?"

"That's why I need to return to Cybertron, and this…" He said, while showing the container, smirking. Then, the ship reached the atmosphere, reason why it shook a little bit.

Soundwave, who was, as usual, at the mainframe, turned to see his master; the silent bot played a simulation on his visor. Pleased, the _Nemesis_ 's leader told Dreadwing to come along as he left the bridge; but, before disappear, the gladiator ordered Knock Out to take a nap, saying that he would need to be fully awaken by the time he returned to the warship.

Understanding, the red bot glared at the communications' chief, the only Decepticon who would tell Megatron about his lack of rest… "For being silent, he has one big mouth…" Knock Out thought, while walking back to his lab; but, of course that, when Soundwave saw that he was planning to ignore his master's orders, the former gladiator came after him.

The medic found the silent 'Con standing on the doorframe of his storage room, not letting him pass.

"Alright, alright…" The red bot sighed, walking away. "I'm going back to my quarters. Happy?" Of course, his only answer was the silence behind his back.

Bumblebee was at the training room, practicing alone… well, in Rafael's company. The others didn't like to bring along their humans when training, because they were afraid of, accidentally, hurting them (especially Miko who was a specialist when it comes to get herself in mortal danger; in fact, they never told her how to access this room, thing that the boys did know). However, what he truly wanted was to spend as much time as he could with the kid. Now that he knew that there was a chance to restore Cybertron, the reality of his leaving became as solid as a brick. The kid seemed to enjoy see him practicing dodging moves, and his aim; but, actually, the scout was trying to think the proper way to tell his partner that… one day soon… he would return to his planet…

"Bumblebee, look out!"

The bot had two seconds to avoid a paint ball right in the head. Deciding that it would be best to concentrate in the current moment, Bumblebee started to take the training session seriously… Until someone crossed through the door. The yellow bot tried to warn the newcomer, but it was too late; before he finished the sentence, Smokescreen's face was covered in green paint. The white bot yelped in surprise, while bending over, rubbing his optics. Both, Bumblebee and Rafael, made a grimace of pain when their friend got hit; especially the yellow bot who was aware of how much this things hurt when you fail in dodge them. Quickly, making a gesture, the scout told Rafael to finish the program, turning off all the booby traps and other stuff. The kid did as told, and the bot ran to check on his teammate.

Worried, he asked Smokescreen if he was okay. The white bot wiped the paint off his optics and looked at the scout.

"What was that for?!" He asked, still trying to clean his face with his bare hands, until Bumblebee offered him a cleanser.

"Sorry, he was practicing some dodging moves. We didn't see you enter." Rafael explained, while getting up from the box in which Bumblebee placed him. It was in a far corner, so he could watch without risks of getting hit by mistake.

"Next time put some sort of warning on the door, guys!" Smokescreen pleaded, while putting down the rag. However, his comment made Bumblebee frown, while beeping something. "What? Where?"

"The lock's screen turns red when someone's using the room." Rafael explained.

Suddenly, the rookie felt like an idiot. He saw a red screen, yet, he decided to enter. In a way, he deserved it… Apologizing for interrupting, the bot intended to leave the place, but Bumblebee stopped him. The scout, though he did want to spend as much time as he could with his human partner, couldn't deny that Smokescreen needed to brush up his team work; so, he asked the rookie if he wanted to join him on his training session. The white bot's face brightened up with the invitation. It was the first time that a teammate asked him to participate in a practice.

"Really?" He asked, smiling openly. Bumblebee nodded. "Sure thing!"

Smiling behind his mask, the yellow bot asked Rafael to restart the program.

At the control room, while Optimus was busy decrypting the Omega Keys' location, Ratchet noticed the strange silence in the place. True that the only child on base was Rafael, who was with Bumblebee at the training room; but Arcee and Bulkhead weren't the most silent bots in the universe either. Looking around, the old medic saw them talking in a depressed way near the ground-bridge. Scoffing, the old bot went back to his experiments. He would never understand his teammates, nor his affiliation with planet Earth; he understood Bumblebee's fondness to said planet, after all, he was born during the war, and his only memories of his home planet pictured it as filled with ruins. Earth was his first experience with a somewhat peaceful world. "He was forced to leave the planet, before he was able to learn to call it home… I think that Earth has become more his home than Cybertron…" He sighed, while analyzing the young bot's situation.

As he finished his thoughts, Smokescreen was coming back from the training room, next to Bumblebee and Rafael; the white bot was laughing loudly, thing that made Ratchet roll his eyes. How was it possible that these youngsters were always excited? He would never know… However, he couldn't help but to suddenly think that, despite the things he has always said about humankind and/or its technology, deep inside, he, too, was going to miss the children.

The sun made the buildings shine in a golden light as it started to set. As usual, he was back at the clinic, cleaning the instrumental while humming a song. He was proud, not only because he was the _only_ Velocitronian at Iacon's Medicine Academy, but also because he was the best student they had. In no time now, he would have his titles and his licenses. All those doubts and sacrifices would worth it the day he graduated…

With a smile, he exited the room, waving a good-bye to a nurse who helped him during the first days, until he got used to where everything was. The femme answered the farewell before disappear behind a door, carrying some Energon for a patient. He, on the other hand, was on his way to the main exit, when someone bumped into him. At first, all he saw was a big squared blue chest, then… the floor. While trying to collect himself from the floor, the mech felt someone's arms helping him up, finding that Rung, the clinic's psychiatrist, was standing next to him. He was apologizing for this accident, but, at the same time, he also asked if he saw which way his patient ran. The young bot opened his mouth to answer when, from inside an empty room, he saw two yellow optics that belonged to a trembling figure; so, shutting his mouth, he simply shook his head.

After that answer, Rung left the place, and the young bot decided to leave as well.

"Heh, thanks for cover me." A deep voice said from behind him.

Turning his head, he saw a big blue bot, with yellow optics, orange colored face, and white helm. The guy was bulky, making him look even smaller than he actually was. He didn't need to ask to know that this stranger was a laborer.

"No problem." He said, while turning to look at him. "But Rung doesn't bite, you know?" He joked, with a smirk.

The other guy chuckled.

"I know, it's just that… I don't really like to come to therapy…" The blue bot said, scratching the back of his neck. "I'm Breakdown, by the way." He finally said, offering his hand.

"Knock Out." He said, while shaking hands with the bulky guy; however, he couldn't help to chuckle. "You come to therapy with Rung, and your name is Breakdown?"

"Hey, I didn't choose it! And what about you? Your name is Knock Out and your paintjob is, what? Scarlet red?" He retorted, arching an eyebrow.

"First: my carrier chose my name for me when I was created; second: scarlet red is my favorite color. That both things converged in my person is not my fault."

"Hey! I'm only joking, kid." He laughed at Knock Out's pissed face. "Relax…"

Finally the young bot sighed, giving in.

"Sorry for my reaction, it's just that my life hasn't been the easiest of all…"

"I understand." Then, he suddenly turned around as if looking for something or someone. Knock Out arched an eyebrow, looking how his companion trembled slightly as he scanned his surroundings. "Did you see Rung behind me or someone else?" Breakdown asked, while looking back at the red bot, who simply denied with the head. "For a moment, I could swear…"

"… Huh… Pardon me, but why are you under treatment?" Knock Out asked, trying to be polite.

"Some thinks that I suffer paranoia. My boss told me that, either I started to see a psychiatrist, or I would be fired." The blue bot said with a shrug. "Yet, I still hate to come to therapy… It's _so_ humiliating…"

"Hey, as long as it helps, right?" The red bot said with a smile, trying to make the laborer feel better about it.

"I guess… And you? What're you doing here?"

"Oh, I'm a medicine student. I'm doing my practice here."

Before noticing, both bots were exiting the clinic together, sharing some laughs. To Knock Out's surprise, he made a friend outside his classmates' circle; and, as a good friend, he wanted to help Breakdown with his problem. So, he encouraged him to attend his appointments with the psychiatrist; and, to his surprise, the blue laborer accepted… if he promised to invite him to his graduation party…

The sound of somebody knocking at his quarter's door woke him up. "It was merely a memory… a dream…" The medic thought as his eyes focused, and he recognized his surroundings. Growling, he sat up and rubbed his face before walk towards the door, finding a trooper at the other side.

"Sir, Megatron is awaiting for you in the medical bay."

"Tell him that I'm on my way." The medic said with a serious face.

Five minutes later, he was at the said room, where the gladiator was already lying on the stretcher. Next to the gladiator was the container… with an arm inside. Knock Out put the pieces together: it was a Prime's arm, the only thing that would activate the Forge of Solus Prime… Did Megatron raided a tomb? Most importantly: he wanted to replace one of his perfectly healthy arms with _that thing_?!

The medic tried to warn his leader about the hundreds of things that could go wrong with such transplant, including the many infections that that arm may trigger; but Megatron didn't listen, and simply told the red bot that he understood the risks. Sighing, Knock Out reached for the stasis-lock tubes, but, again, his leader stopped him. He wanted to be conscious… He wanted to see the whole procedure…

"Breakdown, you might've suffered paranoia; but I fear that you left me with a psychopath…" He thought as he started to disassemble Megaron's original arm, in order to replace it with the one he brought from Cybertron's tombs.

* * *

 **And... That's it. What do you think? I hope you liked it. I wanted to show a pre-war Knock Out, and how his friendship with Breakdown started.**

 **Now, further in the story, there will be more flashbacks from our favorite surgeon, only that I will not mark them like I did with this one, nor will be in chronological order; however, it will build Knock Out's background (if there's something I don't really like, is when nobody minds to explain why a character is as it is... It's a clear invitation for me to write him a story! XD).**

 **So, you know, I'll upload in a couple days.**

 **See you soon! Bye!**


	5. FOUR: Homeless

**Promise is debt.**

 **I said that I was going to upload today, so I'm uploading today. And, since I will now have more free time (halleluja!), I fully intend to upload the fifth chapter this Saturday. Honestly, I want to update faster since I noticed that this fic has somehow become a little monster that doesn't stops to grow...**

 **Seriously; it's like, doesn't matter how much I write, there's always a new chapter that pops into my head saying "Hi, I think you could add some more story in here..." At this rate I'll be old before finish this fic...**

 **Reminder: English isn't my mother language, so there might be grammar mistakes.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own** ** _Transformers Prime_** **, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **FOUR: Homeless**

Hate. If someone asked Knock Out what he was feeling while he and some troopers searched for what was left behind during the battle for the Omega Lock, the medic would've said that he was feeling hate; and, that that feeling was concentrated in Megatron's figure. After all, the gladiator could've saved the planet; he could've rebuilt Cybertron, bring it back to its old glory; but, no… He turned the damn machine against the Earth, because he just _had to_ , right? Did he honestly believed that Optimus Prime and his Merry-Bots wouldn't do whatever it took to stop him? Sure, Prime was as desperate to restore Cybertron as they were; but, unlike Mega-Troll, he wouldn't allow it if it meant that the Earth would be destroyed…

"If only he wouldn't have endangered Earth, we would've our home back…" Knock Out thought, while staring at the building that the Omega Lock rebuilt before being destroyed. And to think that, by now, the whole planet could be healed…

"Sir!" One of the troopers called out, while pointing at the horizon.

In the distance, a cloud of dust announced someone's approaching. The medic got ready to fight… Only to realize that it wasn't an enemy, but someone who was supposedly terminated…

Bumblebee was entering the city where Ratchet was seen by a junkyard's security camera, hoping that the old medic would still be there, when Rafael's stomach growled. Right. The kid hasn't ate in hours; he should stop by some fast-food place before go to Ratchet's encounter. The yellow bot told the boy about this, but the human tried to decline, saying that find their friend was their priority. However, the scout retorted, saying that he wouldn't be of much help if he starved to death. Rafael smiled, thanking his friend's concern, at the same time that Bumblebee pulled over, next to a McDonald's.

"Um… Perhaps, we should try the auto-service?" The boy asked, since he didn't want to get out of the bot's cabin where he was safe. As the scout replied, Rafael sighed. "Yeah, you're right. The absence of an adult driver _would_ look suspicious…" He looked towards the building. Bumblebee parked right in front of the entrance. "I'll be back in five minutes."

That said, he exited the car and ran towards the door as fast as he could. Last thing he wanted was to be recognized by a security camera. Inside, there were lots of people, so it was easy to sneak into the multitude, all he had to remember was to look down so it would be harder to recognize him through the cameras. But, as he was paying for his burger, a radio that was being heard by a costumer called his attention: the newsflash were talking about Jasper, which was supposedly harmed by a "meteor rain" (Ok, undoubtedly, Fowler must've be running out of excuses…). He was so concentrated in overhearing the radio that almost didn't notice when the employee brought him his food. Thanking with a nervous smile, the boy grabbed the bag and hurried to the exit door. Once outside, Rafael ran back towards Bumblebee.

"Turn on the radio!" He asked, but the scout refused, saying that it was too risky. "Bumblebee, please! They're talking about Jasper on the news!"

Things seemed promising (a.k.a. nobody was in need of his services…), so Knock Out decided to take a ride. He tried to act as politely as he could, but the memory of Cybertron doomed 'til the End of Times was still too fresh on his mind; he was aware that he talked a little too rudely, but the gladiator didn't seem to notice it or he simply didn't care. Without paying much attention to his subordinate, the grey bot gestured the medic that he was free to go, so the red bot soon enough found himself out of the warship, driving freely, trying to forget the fact that his home world not exist any longer… Alright, he was working on the last part. Maybe a good race would help; but he doubted to find any competitors around, especially now that Jasper became an alien warzone. Sighing, Knock Out decided to simply turn on the radio and listen some music.

It seemed to work, as the red bot soon found himself humming the song's rhythm; however, his good mood faded promptly when he recognized the road he was traveling… If he kept going through this road, soon he would find a bifurcation, and, if he took the road towards the East, soon would be heading towards the glade where he met that girl, Millie… the only living being who treated him respectfully. "Should I pay a quick visit?" The medic stomped on the brakes as he realized what he just thought. Why would he visit a human? He was a Decepticon! He hate them! They were nothing but stupid meatballs, walking around, sulking because of meaningless things!

He knew what he had to do: turn around and leave as if nothing happened… But he also knew that he wasn't able to… Once again he needed someone to talk to, and, despite that Starscream has become closer to him (because he was probably the _only_ one who wouldn't tear the air commander apart), the Seeker was no friend of his; and, besides, that guy was in love with his own voice. He would never listen to anybody else (unless, of course, his head was in stake…).

Sighing, he went east until the tall pines appeared in his sight. There was no way back now. Slowly, the Aston Martin drove closer to the glade… but there was no one there. "Guess is not my lucky day…" He thought as he prepared to leave. Yet, before do so, he got a glimpse of something moving between the trees that surrounded the glade. It was something small, but it looked human, so he took the risk and approached.

"Millie? Is that you?" He asked, trying to sound polite. The kid wouldn't come any closer if he didn't look friendly.

Cautious, looking like a cornered animal, a small human head poked out from behind a tall pine, and the red bot recognized the little girl he met at that place so many solar-cycles ago. However, this time, he could see that she was scared… of him…

It somehow hurt. But why? Why was it painful to see that she was afraid? Shouldn't he feel happy about it? After all, wasn't that the effect they wanted to create in the humans' hearts?

And yet…

"Are you hiding from me?" Even being several feet away from her, the bot was able to see the little girl averting her green eyes. That was a huge 'yes'. "I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to talk…" Tentatively, Knock Out tried to get a little bit closer; but, seeing this, the little girl hid behind the tree again. He couldn't deny it any longer… It hurt to be rejected like this.

Sighing, the medic transformed and walked towards the pine where the child was hiding. He saw her peek out at the sound of his steps, only to quickly hide again, while telling him to go away. Honestly, he almost did… But something stronger than him made the bot kneel down near the pine. The distinct sound of a sob reached his audio-receptors. She was crying… out of fear…

He sighed.

"Look, I know it means very little coming from a Decepticon like me, but… I promise that I won't hurt you, and that all I want is to have a nice and civilized chat." Knock Out explained, without receive an answer. "I don't have anybody else I can talk to…" He added, looking away.

Suddenly, the sobs stopped, and the soft sound of kid's steps reached him. Within a few minutes, Millie was out in the view, dressed in that white outfit she was wearing that afternoon, with the difference that she was now wearing tennis instead of flip-flops. Also, besides the book of white covers from that day, she was also holding a large toy. It was a stuffed animal that resembled a fox. Now that they were face to face, Knock Out saw that Millie's eyes were red and filled with tears. Also, her hair was a mess from hiding in the bushes.

Subconsciously, the bot reached out for the little girl, who flinched in fear… only to realize that he was removing a small branch that was tangled in her hair. The medic tossed the bush's piece away, before notice that Millie was now inches away from him. She was shyly looking at him, hiding most of her face behind her toy. However, he was more interested in the many leaves that she had tangled on her curly hair.

As the medic proceeded to retrieve another branch, the girl couldn't help but chuckle.

"Ugh… Where were you hiding? The jungle?!" The red bot complained, while struggling with a leaf that didn't want to cooperate. "Look at this! I'm not expert in Earth's plants, but I do know that some bushes are poisonous. What would you have done if you stumbled into one of those?" He reprehended her, almost without notice.

"Stop it! You're making it on purpose!" The girl said, laughing openly, while smacking the bot's massive hands with her tiny ones. Eventually, he retrieved. "It's not that bad…" She retorted, while passing her fingers through her hair.

"That's because I fixed it… a little…" He sighed playfully, while crossing his arms in front of his chest. Then, he sat in a more comfortable position. "So, now you believe me that I do not represent a danger for you?" The girl nodded, earning a smile from the medic. "I'm glad."

"What do you want to talk about?" Millie asked, confusing the bot. "You said you wanted to talk…"

"Ah, right…" He suddenly remembered his current situation. Sighing, Knock Out scratched the back of his neck, looking for words. "It's… complicated… and painful…" He admitted, crossing his legs, Indian-style. Then, he placed his elbows on his tights, leaning closer to the girl. "How much time do you have?"

"Until dinner."

"Then, you might want to take a seat." He invited her, while pointing at a nearby rock.

It was the sunset when they reached the junkyard, but Bumblebee wasn't worried about the time; he was worried about Rafael, who remained silent the whole time since they left the MacDonald's. The scout didn't need to ask; he knew: the boy was worried about his family. The news said that Jasper has been evacuated as soon as the destruction started (Agent Fowler's doing…), and, still, it was attacked by the Decepticons. The city took a big blow, according to the newsflash… Sighing, the bot apologized with the boy, saying that he wished that none of the children would have experienced this. Rafael simply nodded, before realize what his guardian said. It made him feel bad.

"You… already passed through this, didn't you?" He remembered Optimus saying that Bumblebee was the youngest bot in the team; but, how young was he exactly?

The scout beeped, telling the boy his story: he was born when the war was already going on. He said that he was one of the lucky ones, because his protoform was almost ready when Megatron started his army and Optimus was forced to send the AllSpark off the planet. Those whose bodies weren't in the final phase… well, the kid could make himself an idea. After a few seconds of silence, Bumblebee finally admitted that his only memory of his home planet was filled with ruins, fire, and slaughter. For him, Earth was much more a home than Cybertron.

"I'm sorry, 'Bee…" Rafael said, receiving a chirp. "But, if you, guys, don't need parents… who took care of you when you born?"

The scout told his charge about the caretakers that raised the few survivor sparklings, while they drove into the junkyard.

By nightfall, Millie was informed about the war, the factions, and the current situation of Cybertron; she was told about everything, including Breakdown's termination. By the time the medic finished his tale, the little girl was feeling awfully bad for him, reason why she disobeyed the first thing he told her when they met, and gently patted him on the knee. The bot didn't seem to mind it, so she smiled, sitting closer.

"Then, where're you going to live?" Millie asked, tilting her head to the side. Knock Out shrugged.

"As far as I know, we'll have to live here on Earth. But, then again, Megatron does not share everything with me; I'm merely the medic, he only minds me whenever there is a medical emergency…" The bot commented, looking away with tired eyes.

"Why are you with them?"

The question made the red mech look at the girl with wide eyes, before sigh and look away again. He was wondering whether tell her or not, because it was really personal… yet, he had nobody else to share his pain with, so, why not?

The medic dedicated a quick gaze to the child before sigh.

"It's… complicated." He, then, massaged his left shoulder. "To put it short: I lost someone who was important to me, and I joined the war, hoping to find justice for that person."

"Did you do it?"

"No… The culprit got away… and I got stuck in the army."

"I knew it." Millie mumbled so suddenly that called Knock Out's attention.

"You knew it? You knew, what?"

"That you're not bad." She said with a big smile.

Stunned by the little girl's statement, the bot couldn't answer as she got up and started to walk away, saying that it was time for supper and she needed to go back. However, following her with the eyes, Knock Out saw that she was running towards a big white building beyond a thin wall of pines at the other side of the glade. Transforming, the medic headed towards the road and drove, circling the glade until he was in front of the large edifice, which had a big billboard at the door's frame. What it said shocked the bot, who hurriedly drove away from there…

Millie was living… at an orphanage…

Bumblebee and Rafael left a couple minutes ago, but Ratchet didn't care. He already made his mind: the war was lost. Cybertron was lost forever, meaning that both armies lost, so why fight?

Sighing, the old medic remembered the time before the war, when he was a doctor at Iacon's Clinic… Back when Optimus was nothing more but his good friend Orion Pax, a clerk who worked nonstop at the Hall of Records. There were times when they met with their other two good friends, Ironhide and his sparkmate, Chromia. It was funny to stick around those two; in fact, first time he ever saw the bashful Orion laugh was when 'Hide said something out of place and Chromia pounced on him, forcing her sparkmate to take back his comment… He had to admit it; it made him laugh too.

But, who cares. It was all gone.

The 'Cons got to Ironhide and Chromia when they were trying to reach the _Ark_ ; Optimus was forced to take off without them… without _her_ … Oh, only Ratchet would know how much it hurt the Autobot commander to leave that femme behind; but they didn't have another choice. If they waited, the ship would have been destroyed. Sometimes, the old medic could see that, the only reason why Optimus often preferred to keep his distance, was in order to prevent another attack like that one. Because Megatron knew how much she meant for him… and that's why he ordered her termination, not because she was the leader of the femmes' army… It was personal.

"And yet, you never surrendered…" Ratchet thought with a sigh, while turning his engine on. "I have been a fool, Optimus. I'm sorry." Driving out of the junkyard, the medic took the road and sped up. There was only one place where Bumblebee and Rafael would find Cybertronian technology: the _Harbinger_ 's wreckage. There's where they were headed to; and that's where he would find them. "This war isn't over, not like this; not after all we've sacrificed." He turned on his siren, forcing the other drivers to open a road for him.

"Wait for me, Bumblebee…" He whispered, driving away from the city.

Say that he was nervous was little… He was terrified! Right when he thought that nothing could surprise him, this guy, Ultra Magnus, appears out of nowhere in his shiny spaceship and practically orders him and Arcee to aboard. More importantly, this new bot didn't want him on the front seat, so he was in the backseat, trying to get some sleep. After a while in silence, it seemed that the bots thought that he was napping, since they started to talk as if he wasn't there.

Basically, Arcee informed Ultra Magnus about the current situation; however, when she reached the part in which their base was destroyed by the Decepticons, first thing the new bot asked was if she knew Optimus's location. The femme said that she wasn't aware of anybody's location by the moment… then, after looking at Jack for a nanosecond, Arcee added that she don't even knew if they were still alive…

The new bot simply nodded at the news, while checking the radar. They spent the last few hours following two Autobot signals, hoping to find one of the guys… And they found them, alright; next to a giant Cybertronian dragon! How on Earth did Megatron find a dragon?! Fortunately, Ultra Magnus was capable of get rid of him, but they all knew that it wasn't over. That thing would be back…

But, as the hours passed, the attack started to become nothing more but another memory of the war, and the passengers of the _Iron Will_ , soon stopped talking about their strange attacker. So Miko and Jack occupied themselves in catching up, while Wheeljack focused in try to repair the huge dent that the accursed cyber-animal made on his chassis. Bulkhead simply took seat and remained silent, just as Arcee. The children saw this with curiosity: apparently, this new guy wasn't like Optimus… He wasn't interested in befriending anybody.

Suddenly, the awkward silence that filled the spaceship was broken by the radar, which picked up a signal. Checking it, the commander found out that it was an unidentified frequency.

"What…?" He started to decipher the code. "It's an Autobot S.O.S." Then, he tracked the signature's origin. "It's only a few kliks away…"

"The _Harbinger_ 's wreckage!" Arcee commented. "Someone must've took over that old ship!"

"Wait. What if it's a trick?" Jack asked, worried and somewhat scared.

"If that's the case… We will face the enemy with courage, soldier." Ultra Magnus said, without looking back at the teenager.

Setting course towards the spaceship's wreck, the commander hoped to find his long lost friend, and superior officer, Optimus Prime.

* * *

 **It wasn't too boring, was it? I hope it wasn't. It's just that, in order to make possible for Knock Out to actually create a bond with a human, I needed to track episodes in which he didn't participate, and** ** _Scattered_** **was one of them. And then I said: why not talk about the Autobots feelings during this episode too?**

 **I especially liked to write about Ratchet here. Honestly, at the beginning of the show, he was a little unbearable for me; but, as the time passed... he grew into me...**

 **And I believe that we all know which femme was left behind by the** ** _Ark_** **...**

 **See you the Saturday.**

 **Bye!**


	6. FIVE: 'Till We Meet Again

**Hello again, here Scheherezada. How're you doing?**

 **I hope you're enjoying this story, which is barely starting.**

 **Warning: English isn't my mother language, so I might've commited some grammar mistakes. If you happen to see one of said mistakes, please point it out for me, so I won't commit it again. Thank you.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own** ** _Transformers Prime_** **, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **FIVE: 'Till We Meet Again…**

Say that his days were boring ever since Shockwave appeared was nothing in compare to what Knock Out was feeling: HE WAS RUSTING IN THE FARTHEST CORNER OF THE SHIP, WITH NOTHING TO DO! Megatron even trusted the One-Eyed-Jerk with his Synth-En's research, so, once again, he was only needed whenever there was a medical emergency; and, thanks to Predaking, those weren't as usual as it used to be…

Remember the predacon made the medic shiver in fear. He was told that that beast broke Ultra Magnus's right hand; and, if he was strong enough as to defeat the commander who made his reputation by fighting side-by-side with the fearsome Dinobots, who knows what else was he capable of? No wonder that even Megatron feared that beast. "Shockwave should've never brought him back from the Rust Age…" He thought, while playing with some of his medical instruments. He was finishing a pyramid made with some of his jars, when Starscream entered the medical bay. The air commander seemed to be in panic, but, then again, it was his usual state, so Knock Out didn't think necessary to alarm. Instead, he simply sighed and kept playing with his stuff.

"What happened?" He said, while placing the next jar.

"S-Shockwave almost pierces my face with a metal shard, and all you ask is 'what happened'?!" The Seeker asked, trying to look offended. However, his dropped wings, big eyes, and trembling knees told the medic that he was actually terrified, after his recent visit to the ground, which he had to do in company of the Chief Scientist. "And to make it worst, Megatron did not even blink when that savage attempted against my life! _I_ had to defend myself!"

"Oh, that must've been terrible…" The medic commented, while placing the next jar.

"Would you, please, stop fooling around with your equipment and listen to me?!"

"To fool around with your complains? No, thank you. My jars at least doesn't cry whenever something doesn't go as they wished…" The red bot retorted while rolling his eyes and finishing his pyramid. "Hah. Take that, Egyptians."

"Ugh… I don't understand your affiliation with humans and their culture. I can connive with your alt-mode decision; but I cannot understand why you admire such inferior creatures when it comes to everything else…" The commander grunted, while walking closer to the medic, who simply shrugged, meaning that he wasn't sure, but he didn't mind it either. Then, the Seeker inspected the structure that the medic assembled on his surgery table, and arched an eyebrow, before sigh and massage his temples. "And to think that you could be doing something of actual worth…"

"Like what? Experiments?" Knock Out snorted, while getting up. Then, he started to walk towards his mainframe. "Have you forgotten that Shockwave is taking care of all my researches?" He commented as he started his daily report. "Thanks to you, I must say." He added in a mumble.

"What?!" Feeling offended, Starscream walked up to the medic, until he was standing right next to him. "And _how_ am I responsible of that?! Huh?"

Knock Out simply turned to look at him with narrowed eyes and a neutral expression, before say:

"Zombie infestation. Two months ago. Does that refreshes your memory, Screamer?"

The Seeker's eyes widened in horror at the memory of the zombie-cons that almost took over the ship; but he shook the fear away, while crossing his arms, saying that it was the medic's fault as well, since he did inject the Dark Energon in Cylas's body, after all.

"If you weren't my superior officer…" Knock Out thought, while stabbing the keyboard with his claws. Yes, he remembered… As usual, when things went south, Starscream passed the toll to the nearest bot he could find, and it happened to be him. The medic couldn't still understand how he got to think, even if it was just for a second, that the commander really learnt from his mistakes when they found each other hiding from Zombie-Cylas and the infected troopers… But _no_. Ever since he returned to the army, Starscream hasn't been of much help; however, he has been a pain in the ass almost every frigging day… "I should've never give him that idea…" The medic mentally reprehended himself, remembering when he tried to convince the Seeker to surrender himself, a long time ago. Maybe, he should've told him to jump into a pool filled with Scraplets instead.

The noise of something breaking behind his back, made Knock Out snap up.

"What did you break?!" He yelled, noticing the broken glass at Starscream's feet, probably one of the jars he used to build his little pyramid. Groaning, he pushed the commander away from his stuff while kneeling to clean up. "Make me the favor of restrain yourself from touching my stuff."

"Oh, please… It's just a jar…" The flyer said, while inspecting his claws, unamused.

"Get out of my medical bay, or I will drill a hole through your head!" The effect was the one he intended, since Starscream rushed out of the room. Finally alone, the medic sighed, relaxing. "That air good-for-nothing commander… If I didn't need to shield behind his authority, I would've removed his wings years ago!"

After cleaning up the mess, Knock Out finished his report and went back to his boredom. There must be something he could do to entertain himself!

Decided to find something to kill time, the medic started to wander around the ship… Until he bumped into Predaking. The beast looked down at him, sending chills down through the medic's back. Now that he thought about it, they've never actually faced each other before… The predacon was usually in, either, Starscream's or Shockwave's company; sometimes, he has seen the beast talking with Megatron. Next to the colossal bot, Knock Out felt shorter than he actually was…

After an awkward silence, the medic stepped aside, allowing the predacon to resume his way. "I don't want to bump into him again…" He thought, while starting to consider the idea of return to his lab. Then, he snorted. What for? He had nothing to do there. "Well, at least I'm not in the battlefield…" He reminded himself, while walking down the hallway, where he got a glimpse of Megatron, Shockwave and Soundwave talking at the control room. Since it was the most interesting thing around, the medic walked up to the doorframe, where he tried to eavesdrop the conversation.

His optics grew wide as he heard that the Chief Scientist figured how to produce cyber-matter, meaning that they could rebuild the Omega Lock, and, eventually, revive Cybertron! They could go home! And, once again, Megatron and the others decided to leave him aside… Well, at least now he knew what those three were cooking up in their secret meetings. Suddenly happy, the medic walked away as quietly as he could, thinking about his home planet. Oh, how he missed it!

But, as he started to remember the cities where he used to roam when he was a student, Knock Out remembered another building, one of white walls… His smile faded away. "Oh! Stop thinking that way, you moron! You're going _home_ ; wasn't that the goal? To do whatever it takes, just to go back some day?" He argued with himself. Yes. Everything he did was in order to, someday, return to Cybertron alive. Except for Breakdown, he never cared about anyone else but himself; the others were mere tools he had to play properly in order to achieve his goals. That was the only way to survive among the Decepticons. But, then… Why was he feeling this way? He shouldn't even be thinking about their encounter, not anymore. It was something that he did because he had a need and she was the instrument he used to fulfill it. Period. Time to move on. And yet…

Sighing, the medic looked above his shoulder, noticing that Soundwave was about to open a ground-bridge for Starscream and Shockwave. Nobody minded him standing in the middle of the corridor; they probably not even noticed his presence. "Oh, who am I kidding?" He finally asked to himself, right when Soundwave closed the last ground-bridge, while locking onto the next set of coordinates for the next.

That was his chance.

"My liege." He called, while walking up to the gladiator, who arched an eyebrow to his medic. "If I won't be of use, may I go for a ride? I feel like I'm rusting in here…" He asked, trying to sound as vain, and self-centered as usual.

Megatron rolled his eyes and grunted at the petition.

"Open a ground-bridge for our doctor, Soundwave."

The silent bot nodded and did as told.

"Thank you." The medic said, playfully, as he walked out of the warship.

"Tell me, Soundwave, have you noticed any strange behavior from Knock Out recently?" The gladiator asked, once the red bot left the place, receiving a shrug as answer. The grey bot sighed. "Yes, I suppose that even his usual behavior is abnormal…"

As he drove away from the place where the portal left him, the Velocitronian started to feel nervous, though he couldn't say why. It didn't make sense. He should be happy! He was going home! Well, yes, Cybertron _was_ in ruins, and yes, it would need a _lot_ of rebuilding; but, who cares? It was home! "But, unlike the others, nobody is waiting for me to come back…" He thought.

He chuckled. That was his answer: he wanted to go home, but he didn't like the fact that all his friends were victims of the war… Nobody would celebrate his return. Instead, the only living being who actually treated him fairly, was going to be left behind on Earth. That was what was hurting him… The loneliness.

As he reached the glade, he was, again, surprised by the fact that Millie wasn't there. "Well, she might be inside the building… Too bad." He thought, while putting reverse; until something moved behind him: it was her. She was, once again, hiding among the trees. Smiling without notice, the medic transformed and walked towards the little girl, who greeted him with a big smile…

However, he saw that her eyes were filled with tears.

"Are you still afraid of me?" He wondered, receiving a quizzical look. "Why are you crying this time?" He asked, while kneeling down to look at her from up close.

Realizing what he meant, Millie wiped out the tears, while sitting under a big tree. Knock Out saw, once again, the white book, and the stuffed animal that she was carrying around during their last encounter. The bot chose to sit next to her, crossing his legs Indian-style, and wait. But, as the silence started to settle down between them, he decided that it was time to ask again. The girl tried to deny that she was crying.

The medic chuckled.

"Girl, I'm an excellent liar; so, trust me when I tell you: you are not…" He said, in his usual playful tune of voice while inspecting his claws, as if he were self-praising. Actually, he was just trying to help her to loosen up. And it seemed to work as the child giggled. "So, what happened?"

"Do you know what the dyslexia is?" She asked, looking at him. The bot shook his head. "It's a condition that affects the ability to read. For example, when I'm reading a sentence, sometimes, the letters starts to mix, and I end up seeing something that's not there. It usually takes me longer to finish a story…" After the explanation, she hugged her knees, depressed. "I love to read, though. But, when we're asked to do it at school…" The girl hid her face on her knees. "The other kids in my class, and some teachers thinks that I'm just too stupid… So I'm usually ignored whenever the teacher asks a question, even if I know the answer…"

Knock Out felt suddenly infuriated… because he could relate…

As her, he used to be bullied by the other younglings of his natal colony (and some adults too), all thanks to a medical condition that didn't allow him to compete in the races. He endured years of harassment, until he was able to leave. By then, he heard all the insults he could think of; went through all the kicks and punches he could imagine, and was pushed around by everyone. He never had a friend to help him during those attacks. Well… He did have one person to stand for him, but he was still a sparkling when said person left… From that day onwards he could only rely on himself.

Biting his lip, he remembered, clearly, a day when he was quietly sitting at his house's door, watching a recording of one of his father's old races. Suddenly, a bunch of sparklings who were around his age appeared. One of them challenged him to a race, and, in Velocitron, it wasn't an option to say no… His creators had to hurriedly take him to the nearest clinic… He almost didn't live to tell the tale…

Sighing, the bot looked at the little girl, who was starting to sob.

"Hey, it's not your fault to have a glitch. If it makes you feel better, I have one too." He admitted, while placing his right hand on his chest.

"You do?" She wondered, looking at him with curiosity.

"Yes. My cooling system… It doesn't work as it should. If I run for too long at max speed, I overheat. I can only endure a couple seconds, sometimes one or two minutes; then, I need to stop and cool down." The medic said. "Compared to other Velocitronians… I'm slow…" He added, slightly rolling his eyes.

"Have you been bullied for it too?"

The question made him shudder a little, so Millie knew that the answer was "yes". In sympathy, the girl smiled, and sat closer to the bot who, again, didn't reject her. In fact, he dedicated her a tender smile.

It was a whole new concept for Knock Out to actually befriend a human being. Before this girl appeared, he considered this fleshy beings inferior to himself, but now… Millie reminded him about himself so much. The bullying, the loneliness… the feeling of being homeless and helpless… "Though, I _might_ be going home soon; that's if Shockwave is right." He thought with a sigh, before turn to see his little companion.

The girl was now opening her book. He almost chuckled: both of them, perfectly healthy beings of their own species, were dealing with a glitch that prevented them from doing something they loved. "Life certainly isn't fair…" He thought, with a soft chuckle.

Then, the bot looked at his companion once again, finding that she was now fully concentrated in her reading. However, he couldn't help his curiosity…

"What's that book you're always holding?" He asked, with an eyebrow arched.

"This?" She wondered, showing the object to him. The page she was reading had the rough picture of a blond boy who seemed to be with something like a dog… Wait, it was red. A fox? "It's _The Little Prince_. It's my favorite story!"

"Um… I beg your pardon?"

Millie smiled tenderly at his quizzical look.

"It's the story of a little boy who travels around the space, trying to learn what love means. In the way he finds these strange characters that teach him lessons. Some of them are really weird… But, the most important character after the Little Prince, is the Fox. He teaches him about true friendship." She explained, while caressing the book's pages; an action that Knock Out didn't miss.

"Is that why you have that toy?" He wondered, pointing at the stuffed animal.

"Yes. Mrs. Lena gave it to me as a birthday present. Though she isn't sure when it is, we celebrated it the day she found me." Millie explained, while hugging the fox tighter.

"Ah, I see…" Suddenly, his commlink turned on, reason why he gestured the girl to remain silent. Meanwhile, the medic got up and scanned the area, making sure that nor Laserbeak nor Soundwave were around. "Yes, my liege?"

"Return to the _Nemesis_." It was Megatron's voice. "Soundwave has been captured by the Autobots. We need to withdraw, for now…"

"Of course, lord Megatron. I'll send you my coordinates in brief." He said before hung up. Then, he turned to see the girl. "I gotta go. Something happened." The bot explained while starting to walk towards the road.

"Okay! See you soon!"

The medic froze on his place at her innocent farewell, which made him realize that he didn't tell her about their discovery. Sighing, Knock Out walked close to Millie and kneeled down to explain her his current situation…

"Millie, I'm… not coming back…" He said.

"What?" She was surprised, and a little bit hurt by that confession. It was evident. "Why not?"

"There's a scientist who claims that he has found a way to heal our planet. If that's so, we're going back to Cybertron…" He explained, seeing how the sadness grew in the girl's eyes with every word. He knew that look, and what it meant: she was alone, and the only friend she was able to make was leaving forever. "I'm sorry."

That said, he started to leave again; but was promptly called by Millie, who ran up to him. Once next to the bot, the girl offered him her stuffed animal, action that made him arch an eyebrow in confusion. She said that it was a present for him.

"What? No, Millie…"

"Take it." She interrupted him. "I want you to have it! So you will never forget me!"

"But… It's yours. I can't…"

"Please…"

Defeated, he gently took the toy, while thanking the gift. He would have to hide it from everyone, of course, but, somehow, it didn't bother him at all; besides, it was the first thing that someone has given to him in eons. The medic felt bad, though, since he had nothing for this girl who has been so nice with him, not because she had to, but because she wanted to… Because he was a living being… Then, he remembered something: he knew her name, but she didn't know his.

"I just realized something: I never introduced myself properly." He said with a surprised face. Then, he offered her his index fingertip. "I'm Knock Out." The little girl chuckled and shook hands with him. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Millie."

"Same here." She answered. "I'm going to miss you…" The girl confessed.

Without say a word, the medic walked towards the road, where he transformed into his vehicle-mode. Starting his engine, he drove away and asked for a ground-bridge.

Deep down, he knew that he was going to miss that child too; it's just that he couldn't say it…

And, now that he was a war prisoner, and was about to spend the rest of his life in jail, he, somewhat, wished to have said something… At least a simple "I'm going to miss you too."

It would've been enough.

...

Little he knew about the turns that his life was about to take…

* * *

 **Now starts the real fanfic, which I hope you like.**

 **Let me know what you think.**

 **See you in a couple days (Oh... it's great to have free time!).**

 **Bye!**


	7. SIX: Probation

**Hello!**

 **Thank you, iceblossom98, for your lovely review!**

 **I'm going to upload the next few chapters almost daily, because these ones are rather short...**

 **Warning: English isn't my mother language, so I might have commited mistakes. Please be patient.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own** ** _Transformers Prime_** **, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **SIX: Probation**

Ultra Magnus walked down the jail's corridors, showing the document that named him the officer in charge of the prisoner #30-428-170; in other words, Knock Out, who has finally been called to trial. The guards read the document carefully, before nod and open the door for the commander. The tall bot thanked his comrades as he walked towards the prisoner's cell, without minding the many insults that the incarcerated Decepticons that saw him pass by threw at him. As usual, his single-minded personality helped him to concentrate on his current job: take Knock Out to his trial, in which his status would be cleaned… Though he didn't believe that the medic was saying the truth when he asked to switch sides.

The red bot, hearing steps coming his way, hid the human toy, and waited for his visitors. When he recognized Optimus's officer, the medic's face became paler. He was doomed… It was never a good sign whenever the former commander of the Wreckers was sent to pick up the prisoners. He was now sure that he would never be free again… Probably, the court decided to declare him guilty of all the crimes he was blamed for, and ordered Ultra Magnus to take him to the communal cell. Or worse! Maybe he was sentenced to remain in stasis for the rest of his natural life! "I'm scrapped…" He thought, panicking, without realize that the commander just told him to get ready for trial.

The Autobot yelled to regain his attention.

"Didn't you hear me? Give me your hands, Knock Out. You have a trial to attend." He repeated, while grabbing the handcuffs, and asking the guard next to him to open the cell's energy field.

"How much scrapped am I?" The medic wondered, while giving his wrists to the commander, who cuffed him without hesitation.

"That depends of the court."

The judges were already waiting for him at the circular room, next to half of Cybertron's survivors. As Ultra Magnus walked him towards the podium, Knock Out saw some familiar faces among the audience: the Autobots were there (except their medic, Ratchet, who returned to Earth), probably as witnesses. Would they help him, or would they throw him back into prison? By the moment, they were more interesting in share opinions among themselves; and it seemed that Arcee was having an argument with that kid, Smokescreen. Bumblebee, on the other hand, was calmly talking with the Wreckers, like they were agreeing on something. Finally, he was standing in the light, with Ultra Magnus at his back, making sure that he wouldn't try to escape. Escape to where? Cybertron was still under rebuilding; he had nowhere to run.

The trial started, and, as he expected, the judges read all the crimes he was accused for… Treason, torturing, murder, war crimes, etc., etc., etc.… They reminded him that, in consequence for his crimes, a year ago they decided to remove him his medical licenses until further advice, thing that he accepted without presenting resistance (he expected that much). However, there was the matter of his incarceration; since he has spent already two years without a definite sentence, one of them in isolation. But, finally, after lots of arguing and debating, the Council came to a decision…

"Here it comes…" He told himself, while closing his eyes. He would be declared guilty, for sure.

Actually, that was the Council's first call… But… he was told that someone interceded in his behalf. So, the Council decided to concede him a stellar-cycle of probation.

The medic opened his eyes in pure surprise.

"What? Who?" He asked, out of place, but he didn't care; he needed to know who cared about him.

"Mister… Bumblebee, police officer." The judge read from his files, making Knock Out look at the former scout (who, once again, reversed his colors, reason why he was yellow with black stripes once again) in disbelief. "He claims that you asked to defect to the Autobot's army, and, though it was when the war was finished, you did help when Starscream intended to regain control over the warship known as the _Nemesis_ , and, also, helped to fight an army of… Terrorcons, am I correct?" The old bot said, looking towards the accused.

"I… did help to apprehend commander Starscream; but, about the Terrorcons, I… I'm afraid that I wasn't of much help… I… hid, during the battle. I wasn't brave enough…" He felt like he had to correct the report. He was no hero. He didn't deserve to be believed one…

"I see." The old bot commented, while writing something. Then, he looked back at Knock Out, before turn his attention towards Bumblebee, who stared back at the judge.

Something wasn't right, the medic could tell; these bots didn't want to grant him parole, they wanted him back on jail 'til the end of times. Not that he didn't deserve it, but… A part of him was begging to be given the chance to explain himself, though he knew it wouldn't happen; not only because these people weren't interested in his reasons to join the Decepticons, but because he was too proud to share them. Especially, because they were very personal… No. Nobody needed to know who he was before all this slag started. Sighing, he readied himself for the sentence… right when Bumblebee asked permission to talk. Why? Why was this guy so interested in his freedom? It was beyond his understanding.

The former scout was granted to talk, so he nodded and walked closer to Knock Out, whose eyes were fixed in the yellow bot as he stood next to him. The judge looked at them both, before pull out the war reports recovered from both armies; in fact, he read many of the data logs that Knock Out himself wrote. The major part of them talked about tortures in which he participate, in order to loosen the prisoner's tongue.

The medic saw, from the corner of his eye, how the Autobots snarled and shook their heads in disapproval. Again, he couldn't blame them; and, again, he couldn't understand Bumblebee's behavior… He was trying to free the same guy who tortured many of his friends. Knock Out knew that to his eyes he was no better than Starscream, so why worry for his welfare?

The whispers around the room faded away as the judges ordered silence; then, the scout rose his hand in a childish way to indicate that he wanted to talk. Once again, they granted him the right to speak.

"Your honor, I'm not denying that Knock Out was our enemy, nor the things he did when being Megatron's medical officer. I'm just asking to give him a chance to prove that he can actually become a good citizen." The yellow bot explained calmly.

"Are you conscious of what it means to release him, officer? Our people will not approve this…" The old bot warned him.

"Not to mention that nobody would take responsibility for him…" Another judge added.

"I will." Bumblebee said, and the whispering started all over again. "Since I asked to put him on probation, it's only logical for me to become his guardian until the parole is over."

This time, even Ultra Magnus seemed to be worried, though he was making an effort not to show it. The truth was that the young warrior already talked about this with his friends, and, despite that some of them seemed to agree with him, others had their doubts… Why should they be nice on the medic, when he wouldn't have hesitated to kill them if things were reversed? It just didn't make sense… at least not for Arcee, who was against this; and so was Ultra Magnus. To the commander's eyes, Knock Out was a war prisoner, and war prisoners has no rights to be on parole. Then again, this kid was trying to honor his mentor, and for so, his reasons should be respected.

After a long argument among themselves, the judges agreed to concede the probation to the prisoner; thing that Knock Out celebrated deep inside, but tried not to exteriorize. However, this was more than he could ask for. Sure, the last thing he wanted was to be sent to the communal cell, where he would have to face all the other incarcerated Decepticons, who surely knew about his betrayal… But the best thing he was hoping for was to be sent back to isolation. Not even in his craziest dreams he imagined himself on parole!

As the trial finished, the medic was sent back to his cell, until the paperwork for his parole were ready.

Knock Out was sitting on the berth, waiting patiently, wondering why the young bot was so concerned about his welfare, when he heard heavy footsteps coming his way. The large figure of Ultra Magnus appeared in the hallway, and his face told the medic that the commander was not happy. Was he going to say that he wasn't pleased with the outcome? That he wanted him lock away for good?

The commander gestured Knock Out to get closer to him. Though he was suspicious, the medic did as told; and, as soon as he was close enough, the Wrecker leaned over, so their optics were at the same level.

"I'm going to say this just _once_ : double-cross Bumblebee, give him trouble, make him look bad, or even give me _one_ slight reason to believe that you'll turn against him; and I will personally rip your spark off your chest… Are we clear?" The large bot said, while clenching the claw he had for hand.

A little scared, Knock Out simply nodded, receiving a rude nod from the commander as answer. Then, the blue bot opened his cell, and told him that everything was ready and he could go. The red medic walked out of the small room with doubtful steps, while the Wrecker gestured the guards to escort the prisoner to his guardian.

Bumblebee was already at the lobby, signing some documents, when the prison guards brought Knock Out, who still seemed to be dumbfounded by this new situation. The yellow bot tried not to laugh at his face; then, finishing the paperwork, the warrior welcomed the medic, while gesturing him that they were clear to go. The red bot walked behind the former scout, still a little startled, doubting if this was actually happening… In fact, he looked back at the guards, like expecting them to arrest him as soon as he intended to cross the exit door; but nothing happened. The only person staring at him was Ultra Magnus, who was with his arms crossed in front of his chest; Knock Out knew that the commander was silently reminding him his warning, so he nodded before step out of the prison.

Outside, the medic found the Cybertron he remembered. Major part of Iacon was already rebuilt, however, he could see some parts that remained in ruins. It was sunset, and the towers' tops were shining in a golden light, while the street lights started to turn on.

It was as if the war never happened…

"What's wrong?" Bumblebee's voice brought the medic back to reality as he noticed that the young bot's eyes were fixated in him.

"I just… The city…" He said, tripping over his own words.

"Oh, yes! We've been busy!" The warrior said, cheerful. "Well, Bulkhead has been busy, since he returned to the construction business…" He added, scratching the back of his helm. "Though it's just Iacon. The other cities are still in ruins… We're waiting for more survivors to show up, that way the rebuilding will go much faster."

"What about the colonies?" Knock Out abruptly asked, now looking straight at Bumblebee.

"Well, we tried to call, but this far nobody has answered…" The bot admitted, a little disappointed. The medic seemed to share the feeling. "Let's go. It's getting dark."

"Go? Go where? I've been in jail ever since I set foot on Cybertron, I don't have a place to live; and, since my medical licenses has been removed, I fear that I won't be able to afford one for a long, long time…" The former 'Con commented, while walking closer to his guardian.

"I got you covered. My apartment isn't big, but it does has a guest's room." Bumblebee admitted, while shrugging. "Come on; my house is not exactly near the prison."

Transforming, both bots drove away.

* * *

 **It's all for today!**

 **Let me know what you think.**

 **See you soon!**


	8. SEVEN: Roomies!

**Hello, again! How're you doing?**

 **Thank you, loverofharrypotter and danielmletchford2, for your support! I'm glad you like this story, guys!**

 **This chapter is going to be more light hearted than the previous ones. Not too much, but a little bit...**

 **Warning: English isn't my mother language, so I might've committed some grammar mistakes. Please be patient.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own** ** _Transformers Prime_** **, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **SEVEN: Roomies!**

Bumblebee told him that his apartment wasn't big, but he missed to tell him just how _small_ it was. It was a doll's house! The bot apologized for it, but he said that after living in quarters his whole life, something bigger made him feel uncomfortable. Knock Out, trying to be polite, said that he didn't mind it… but, let's be honest: there were two bedrooms, both of them of the size of a locker; one bathroom, which would make Breakdown look like a giant; the dining room was also small… Yet, those were minor things, of which the red medic didn't wanted to think by the moment. Now, he was too busy enjoying the fact that he was sleeping in an actual bed, and not in the slender berth he has been using for the past year…

A noise that came from the dining room woke him up. Startled, the red bot jumped off the bed and went to see what happened. He soon found Bumblebee kneeled down picking up the pieces of what once was a glass. The medic relaxed.

"Oh, good morning!" The warrior greeted him with a gentle smile, before go back to sweep the shattered glass.

"Um… 'Morning…" Knock Out answered, before place his hands at the sides of his hip and cock his head to the right, while arching an eyebrow. "Butter-fingers?"

"You could say that. I accidentally pushed it with my elbow when I turned to grab the Energon…" Bumblebee explained, while throwing the broken glass in the trashcan.

"Considering the lack of room, I don't find it hard to believe…" The red medic commented, while pretending to be uninterested.

However, the warrior didn't mind his attitude; instead the yellow bot filled two cups, grabbed some snacks, and invited the former 'Con to grab a chair, while the young bot took seat at the table. Doubtfully, Knock Out sat at the table and started to drink his Energon, enjoying every sip. After all this time eating jail food, this felt like what humans called ambrosia… Then, he noticed that Bumblebee was reading the news on his personal datapad; apparently, the young warrior was incredibly interested in the politics section. Spying over the cop's hand, the red medic was able to read that there were controversies about the new Council, and that many people didn't agree with this new regime. In fact, there were incidents between those who were on favor, and those who were against these new leaders. Also, there were some news that talked about the rebuilding that was taking place; many were starting to wonder whether they would have help from their friends in the colonies. "Why I'm not surprised…" He thought, while grabbing some of the snacks. Though he seemed to be interested in whatever news the Autobot was reading now, his mind was far away, in Velocitron, where he grew. Would any other Velocitronian come to help? No. That was unlike them. Whatever that wasn't related to racing didn't existed in those peoples' minds…

After breakfast was over, Bumblebee got up and started to wash the glasses, while asking his guest to sweep the floor.

"Excuse me?" Knock Out asked out loud, while arching an eyebrow.

"Just because you're in probation, doesn't mean you can stay here without helping me with the house chores." The warrior said, while turning to look at him.

Bumblebee dedicated the medic a smirk.

"You're kidding me, aren't you?" The older mech said, crossing his arms.

"Nope." The yellow bot said, while turning again.

After a seconds of silence, Bumblebee bit his lip to prevent him from laughing when he heard that the red bot was sweeping behind him. Curious about Knock Out's face, the warrior peeked above his right shoulder, finding that his guest was mumbling something while furiously cleaning the floor. Now, the former scout couldn't help but burst out a laugh; thanks to which, the medic threw the broom at his guardian's head.

Massaging the bump on the back of his helm, the warrior apologized to his guest, saying that he didn't mean to laugh; but the red bot looked so funny while sweeping that he couldn't help it. Knock Out, with his pride sored, scoffed and looked away, crossing his arms. It was bad enough to have to live as some sort of parasite in someone else's house; he didn't need to, also, be fooled around. If he wanted to be mistreated, he wouldn't have left Velocitron to begin with; after all, the main reason to abandon his colony was that he couldn't stand the way he was being treated any longer. To have fell in such childish mock opened a deep cut in Knock Out's pride, whose anger towards the yellow bot started to surface once more.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it." Bumblebee apologized again, without receive any answer from the medic, who simply huffed and averted his eyes. "Oh, c'mon! Where's your sense of humor?" He said, with a friendly smile.

At the question, the red bot looked at the warrior with menacing eyes that sent chills down the young bot's spine.

"Oh, yeah, because it's so funny to make fun of me; isn't it?!"

The anger in his voice was like poison; it was a whole new level of rage, at least, as far as he knew Knock Out. Sure, Bumblebee has seen him mad, but it was mostly because his paint got scratched, or stuff like that; and, even then, the fury in his voice was superficial; more like an act than a reality. But this… This was deep. Knock Out _wanted_ to hurt him with his words. He never saw him like this before. Why was he so mad at him? Because of his joke? But it was just that, a joke! One that Ironhide and the others played on him many times in the past (mostly because he was the newbie, the kid… It sucked to be the youngest one in the army…). In fact, the first night-cycle he spent within the army, the red and grey mech somehow convinced him that, being the new guy, it was his responsibility to clean the whole armory… only to, later, find out that it was Ironhide who was supposed to do it that night. He just didn't feel like cleaning, and decided to make Bumblebee do it instead. However, even though he didn't exactly liked to be taken by a fool, he always ended up laughing with his friends after realizing that they didn't mean wrong… They just wanted to have some fun and lighten up the team's spirits.

Then again, he and Knock Out weren't friends. More even: the medic used to be a _Decepticon_ , and, if Bumblebee had to guess, he could say that the camaraderie wasn't one of their strengths…

Sighing, he decided to try to reach out for him once more.

"Look, it's true that I played a joke on you, but that's as far as it goes. I thought that it would be funny for both of us, ok? It's a trick that the guys used to play on me too…" He explained, shrugging at the last part.

"Well, it wasn't funny at all. Not for me, at least." Knock Out snarled.

"Noticed…" Bumblebee commented, arching an eyebrow. "Look, if we're going to share a roof while you're on probation, we'll have to learn to solve this kind of things without ripping our heads off, ok?" He asked, offering his hand to the medic.

The red bot looked at the peace gesture with suspicion, before look the warrior right in the eyes. If this situation was different, if it was a Decepticon instead of Bumblebee, Knock Out would be sure that it was just another trick. But, it wasn't the case; and he didn't know what to expect from the young warrior anymore…

They used to be enemies (they tried to kill each other, for Primus's sake!), and, yet, in the past few joors, this Autobot not only got him out of jail, but, also, gave him shelter. The reason why he was willingly helping him was a complete mystery to the medic… But he seemed to be honest, so…

Finally, he sighed and took the younger bot's hand, accepting the apology.

"Fine! I promise to be more… _diplomatic_ , from now on. However: if you ever dare to make fun of me again, that broom will end up in your spark-chamber; understood?" He said, furrowing his eyebrows, and strengthening his grip.

"I'm good with that." The warrior agreed with a smile.

Then, both bots shook hands.

After that incident, the peace returned to the house.

By afternoon, and without caring for what Bumblebee was talking about with Ultra Magnus over his commlink, the red medic was reading the news on his guardian's datapad. For a nanoklik, he thought that the young bot mentioned his name; but, soon enough he lost interest once again. At some point, he rose his eyes from the screen, and scanned the dining room where he was sitting. Thanks to this action, he saw a big, golden medal that ornamented one of the walls. He didn't needed to ask; it was in recognition for his bravery during the war (he killed Megatron after all, and, on top of that, took care of the Autobot army while Optimus was away, searching for the AllSpark…).

Knock Out sighed and put the datapad away.

How? How did he ended like this, like a prosecuted criminal? How did his life become a nightmare, when he was born as any other Cybertronian; while Bumblebee, born during a world-wide civil war, became a hero? "Don't act stupid. You know it well, you idiot." He told himself, taping his right index on the datapad's screen. Yes, he knew which decisions put him in this current position. That he wanted to think about it was another story, though.

Sighing again, he decided that he could use a bath. Bumblebee, who saw the red medic walk out the dining room towards the bathroom, didn't say a word to his guest, and went back to his conversation.

"He's not a problem, Ultra Magnus. In fact, he's the quietest felon I ever had." The warrior commented with a smile.

« _Don't forget who he is, soldier. He might be all quiet now, but he might try to settle scores with you later_. » The commander warned him, obviously concerned about the young bot's welfare.

"I'm not worried; besides, it's just Knock Out…"

« _Yes. Knock Out, the infamous medic who tortured thousands of Autobots, used war prisoners as guinea pigs, fought with you many times, and, let's not forget, hijacked our human friends. And this last thing, he did it_ twice _!_ » Ultra Magnus reminded to the yellow bot, who, couldn't say anything about it, because those were all facts. « _You're talking about him as if he were some sort of troublesome youngling, but he's not. He's older than you, he's vicious, he's shallow, and he won't hesitate in kill you._ »

"Hey, he already spent a night here, and I'm still alive, aren't I?"

« _And that's another thing…_ » The commander said with an angry sigh. « _Why, in the world, did you think that it was a good idea to have him living at your house?_ »

"He's on probation, and he has nowhere to go. It looked pretty logical for me to have him here." The young cop said, shrugging at the thought. "Besides, I'm the cop in charge of him."

Another tired sigh came through the communication link.

 _«Bumblebee, I realize what you're doing; and it's a nice thought, really, it is, but_ …» The old Wrecker seemed to doubt for a minute. « _I know that he would appreciate your intentions of honoring the things he taught you, but you're putting yourself in danger here_. »

"Magnus." Bumblebee interrupted him, suddenly angry. At the silence, he looked around him and listened for a minute, making sure that Knock Out was still in the bathroom, before return to his call. "I'm honoring my mentor's teachings, ok? Optimus taught me that all sentient creatures are capable of change, if given the chance. Now, how're we going to know if Knock Out truly wishes to mend his ways if we insist in treat him as if the war was still ongoing? I chose to give him the opportunity to prove himself; and you, as Optimus's comrade and friend, should be able to understand it." That said, he hung up.

At the end of the hallway, the red medic heard this last part. True that he left the shower open, but, unnoticed to Bumblebee, Knock Out realized that he forgot to grab something to dry himself afterwards; so he went back to his room, and, thanks to that, he was listening the whole time… and he felt strangely supported. As he walked back into the bathroom, the former 'Con couldn't believe that Optimus Prime, even after become one with the AllSpark, was giving him a second chance.

Sighing, he recognized the reasons why his life sucked, while Bumblebee's one seemed to be always improving: the young warrior grew up raised by Optimus Prime…

* * *

 **I hope you liked it!**

 **Please let me know what you think!**

 **See you soon!**


	9. EIGHT: Crisis

**Hello again. Before upload the next chapter I wish to apologize with you, guys, because I have re-read what I have uploaded this far, and I found out a couple things:**

 **1) I've been misspelling "committed" (I wanted to slap myself when I noticed...)**

 **2) In the chapter "Roomies!" I forgot to erase an "either" that ended having no meaning, whatsoever. I'm sorry about that... I probably was writting something else, but changed my mind and erased the original phrase; however, I didn't see that I forgot the "either".**

 **I'm deeply sorry for this mistakes.**

 **Warning: English isn't my mother language (as my misspellings has proven already...), so you'll probably (most certainly) find grammar mistakes. Sorry about that.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own** ** _Transformers_ franchise** **, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **EIGHT: Crisis**

It was a matter of time before they needed to go out for groceries, after all, they both needed to eat. But, as Bumblebee and Knock Out took the road that leaded downtown, the medic couldn't help but think that they were breaking the rules. After all, he was in parole, wasn't he? Was he allowed to leave the apartment? Fortunately, the young bot told him that it was fine as long as he remained on his guardian's sight. It calmed down the red bot, who put his attention in the buildings around them. It was like see Cybertron on its old glory; it was great…

Suddenly, the Aston Martin stopped and transformed, forcing Bumblebee to do the same. The yellow bot walked up to the red mech, while wondering what happened, before notice that they were at Iacon's Clinic's main door. The warrior simply blinked a couple times, before turn to see his companion, wondering if he was feeling bad about the loss of his licenses.

"I finished my studies here." The medic said, as if he were in some sort of trance. However, it was what he said what surprised the police officer, who couldn't believe his audio-receptors. Did the former 'Con actually shared something of his past with him?

"Really?" He asked, not wanting to break the moment. Knock Out simply nodded.

"I was the best in my class. Everyone thought that I had a bright future in front of me… And yet, I ended up here…" And… the trance was broken. "I sometimes wonder if it was worth to throw my whole life away just as I did…"

"Well, it's not too late yet. You can still mend things." The warrior said, while putting up a friendly smile. "C'mon, we ran out of Energon, and I know a guy in the market street that sells really good fuel at a cheap price."

"Money issues?" Knock Out wondered, arching an eyebrow.

"Hey, I have a cop's salary! I'm not exactly rich…" The yellow bot joked, while transforming into his vehicle mode.

The market was crowded with bots buying either Energon or items of first need. The survivors who returned to the planet were all trying to resume a normal life, and couldn't help but to stop to talk whenever they recognized someone, either an old long lost friend, or an old teammate they haven't seen in a while. If they saw a familiar face on the streets, they stopped to have a nice and friendly conversation. There were groups of bots chatting in every corner, while many others were inside the shops.

Finally, the Camaro stopped in front of a really crowded tent. Apparently, he wasn't the only bot who needed to protect his pocket… After transforming, both bots exchanged a look, while gathering courage to get into the place. "Well, here we go…" The yellow bot thought, before start opening his way towards the seller. Walking behind him, the medic was putting his Math to the test as he tried to estimate how many bodies were stuffed inside of that small room… Suddenly, Bumblebee stopped walking, so he had to stop as well. Peeping from above his guard's shoulder, Knock Out saw that there were, at least, ten more people before them.

"Oh, scrap…" He mumbled.

"Yup. We'll be here a while…" The police officer said, with a sad look.

Ten minutes later, the warrior and the medic were still trapped in the line; the only difference was that, now, there were another twenty bots behind them, waiting to be able to buy fuel too. Being a Velocitronian, to have been stuck in a line for so long was unbearable for Knock Out, who was now with his arms crossed, and glaring towards anything that moved. His bad mood must've been more than evident, since, at some point, Bumblebee asked the medic if he preferred to wait outside; obviously, he would've wanted to, but it would break one of his parole's conditions (remain in sight of his guard), so the red bot shook his head… but growled a little when the line moved… one step…

Finally, after a total of twenty minutes, they were able to buy their fuel. The day seemed to be improving… Until they intended to leave the tent, and someone recognized Knock Out. The former 'Con didn't have time to react that he found himself pinned against a wall, and separated from Bumblebee, who promptly let go from the Energon they just bought as he ran to save the red mech. The medic, unfortunately, was already surrounded by an angry mob that started to punch and kick him. Trapped, Knock Out tried to talk, to plea for mercy to his captors.

"Please! I mean no harm!" He begged, before get punched in the face.

"Say that to my best friend, which _you_ tortured!" A mint-green mech snarled, while grabbing the medic by the chest plates.

"I… I didn't mean to… Ugh!" As he tried to explain himself, the other mech punched him on his tank.

"You destroyed his life! Now _I'm_ gonna return you the favor!"

Before he could shield his head with his arms, a rain of fists impacted against his body; the mint-green mech was the leader of the attack. He knew that fight back would make things worse, but he couldn't control his instincts: when he saw another punch aimed for his face, the Velocitronian reacted, counterattacking a white bot, who stumbled a couple steps back. Realizing what he did, Knock Out tried to apologize, but before he could say a word, someone kicked him on the waist. After that, he found himself, crawling on the floor, while the mob keep attacking him be all possible flanks. Eventually, he lost balance and fell flat onto his chest. Unable to do anything else, he yelled out for 'Bee, while curling in order to cover the major surface of his body. "Please… Stop… Please…" He begged, as the attack kept going.

The yellow warrior saw all this, while trying to pass through three bulky bots, who were keeping him away from the medic. "Scrap!" Now truly scared, Bumblebee presented himself as a law enforcer, and gave one last warning to the crowd: they either let the mech go, or spent a night-cycle in jail. It was enough to make some attackers desist and ran out of the tent; unfortunately, there were still a good number of Cybertronians assaulting Knock Out, who was helplessly lying on the floor.

"Enough!" The warrior yelled, while pushing the mint-green bot out of his way, and immediately kneeling down to check the red medic's status.

Luckily, the former 'Con was fine, though needed medical attention. Bumblebee sighed in relief.

"Alright, everybody, back off! I'm the law enforcer in charge of surveil this mech! So, if you're not interested in spent a few solar-cycles in jail, I strongly suggest you to leave!" He announced, getting on his feet, and helping Knock Out to do the same.

"Right… Help the psychopaths who destroyed our planet and killed our friends! What a _great_ Autobot you are, officer!" The same mint-green guy from before snarled.

"Knock Out has been judged by our laws, and has been sentenced. He's now on parole and under my charge." Bumblebee explained, while trying to call for the medics. Finally, the call was picked up. "I'm Bumblebee. I require medical attention at my current coordinates. I'm on… Argh!"

Unsurprisingly, the assault's starter punched the yellow bot on the face, sending him backwards. The red mech caught his guard before he hit the floor, and helped the younger mech to stand straight again.

"You ok?" Knock Out asked as Bumblebee shook his head to try to collect his thoughts.

"Yeah, I'm good." Then, the police officer glared at his attacker before mask his mouth. "But he won't be…" He added, while walking up to the mint-green bot. "Now you made it. Show me your hands!" The warrior said, pulling out a pair of stasis cuffs. "You're under arrest for attacking a law enforcer in duty."

"Oh, I'm gonna show you my hands…"

Then, the mint-green guy charged against Bumblebee, who quickly dodged the attack, and grabbed him by the left arm. After subduing the attacker (now pinned below the warrior's body), the yellow bot tried to arrest him; and that's when another four bots pounced on him, separating the officer from Knock Out, who was, once again, under attack.

The mint-green guy got rid of the cuffs and resumed his assault.

Bumblebee had to ask for reinforcements.

In no time, there was a riot inside the small shop.

A blue truck stopped at the clinic's doors, followed closely by a police patrol. Both of them took their bipedal form, and entered the building, scaring a few nurses who didn't expected to see the famous Ultra Magnus stomping down the hallways. The tall bot was fuming in rage, reason why nobody told a word to him ever since he received Bumblebee's call, requesting backup. The only one brave enough to come along with the commander was a young police officer whose name was Prowl. He alone offered to be the old Wrecker's companion in this ride, though he ignored why they were at Iacon's Clinic… But everything made sense when a yellow young bot appeared. Prowl knew Bumblebee only by name, since they never worked together in the past; but he respected the yellow bot, mostly because of the courage he showed during the war. However, the older cop couldn't deny that, because of the former scout's young age, it was hard for him not to look at his colleague in the same way he looked at his younger brother, Side Burn.

As soon as Ultra Magnus and Prowl appeared, Bumblebee jumped off the chair he was sitting on, and started to explain how they ended there. "They?" The older cop wondered, arching an eyebrow. He didn't know that the yellow bot was in charge of a convict; he, actually, didn't notice that the former scout haven't been coming to the police station. Then again, he wasn't the kind of bot who likes to become friends with everyone… It was a miracle that his own brothers called him a friend…

"I told you this was a bad idea…" The commander said, with a tired sigh, while massaging his temples. "You aren't up for this job."

"Wait a minute! I've been taking good care of him during this week, Magnus!" The young warrior retorted, while gesturing towards the consulting room next to him, where the red mech was.

"And yet, here we are!" Ultra Magnus counterattacked. "A riot?! In the market street?!"

"It wasn't his fault! A bunch of costumers pinned him against a wall, and started to assault him; I simply did my job!" Bumblebee objected, raising his voice. "Those people attacked a police officer in duty, so I proceeded to arrest them. Then, I brought Knock Out here, because he suffered some minor injuries, mostly on his arms, for _protecting_ himself."

"Wait, Knock Out? Megatron's medic?" Prowl wondered out loud, gaining the attention from both bots. " _You_ are surveilling him?"

"He's on probation." The yellow bot answered, calmly, before turn to face Ultra Magnus, glaring. "And he hasn't done anything wrong…"

The red medic, meanwhile, was thankful that his hands didn't suffer any injury. He still hoped to be able to regain his medical licenses someday… To be, once more, a respected surgeon; but, to do so, he needed his hands to be in perfect condition. Fortunately, the damage was superficial. Good thing that Bumblebee dragged him out of the shop as soon as the riot became worse, otherwise…

Sighing, Knock Out hid his face on his hands. What has he done? How could he be so stupid? Of course that his plan wasn't going to work! By the time that Breakdown got them into the Decepticon army, that guy, surely, was billions of lightyears away. He just threw his life away for nothing… Worse! He was responsible for Breakdown's termination, because, if it wasn't for him, his friend wouldn't have become a Decepticon to begin with! The blue bot was trying to remain as a neutral, despite that he was known for helping the Wreckers from time to time. How did everything turned out so wrong?

The sound of the doors opening made him jump on the stretcher where he was sitting; and, he had to admit it, to see Bumblebee… and Ultra Magnus in company of a cop he didn't know made him gulp in fear. Were they here to take him back to jail? Why? He didn't do anything! Or, perhaps, that black and white bot was going to be assigned to surveil him, since Bumblebee failed… Somehow, it didn't make him feel better. He already spent a whole week in the yellow bot's company, so they knew each other; but, most importantly, he knew that he _could trust_ in Optimus's scout. The kid was a good one.

"What happened?" Ultra Magnus asked, serious as usual, folding his hands behind his back.

It reminded Knock Out of the way in which Megatron used to talk to them. He didn't like it…

"A couple bots recognized me, and, therefore, attacked me. Thanks to Bumblebee I'm still alive." The medic said, trying to sound pissed, though he was kind of scared. In a sad intend of look as self-centered as he used to be, he sat straightening his back and crossing his arms. "Though I should be more thankful of knowing that my wounds were only superficial. Do you remember that I am a _surgeon_? What would I do if my hands ended up badly injured?!"

Then, there was a heavy silence in the room, before the commander asked the two warriors to leave him alone with the convict. Without other choice, both bots did so.

Now, if he was capable of, Knock Out knew that he would be sweating cold.

"Don't you dare to try to look tough in front of me, 'Con; we all know who you are." Ultra Magnus said straightforwardly, making a menacing face that sent chills down the medic's back. "And I warned you what the consequences would be if you even think about give Bumblebee any trouble." He added, while leaning closer to the red bot, who backed up a little.

"I-I haven't been any trouble to him! But you can't expect me not to be attacked when recognized! You're not the _only ones_ who heard about me, and about the things I did during the war!" Knock Out counterattacked. "My head has a price, both for the Autobots as for the Decepticons. I have no place to go, to run away, where I won't be tortured, or killed. So, tell me, what do I win by representing a trouble for the only person who somehow chooses to defend me?" He asked.

Outside, the yellow bot was in Prowl's company, awaiting for Ultra Magnus to come out. It worried him to think that those two were alone in a tiny room… After all, the commander's hate towards the medic was more than obvious; and it was of popular knowledge that the Wrecker would rather throw Knock Out back in a prison's cell, than allow him to walk freely on the streets. "Ugh… Optimus, what do I do now?" He wondered, sighing. Sometimes, he felt like he still needed his mentor when he had to take some decisions. His companion noticed his distress.

"Tired?" He asked in a neutral tone. Then again, he was considered more like drone than a sentient being, so…

"Sort of." Bumblebee confessed, massaging the back of his helm. "This is the first incident in a week, and yet, Magnus treats Knock Out as if it was his fault, when it were the other customers who started it." He sighed. "The court, in a fair trial, decided to concede him a second chance, and yet…" He sighed again, massaging his temples. "I guess that there's people who just can't let go from the war…"

The older cop blinked a few times, swallowing the young bot's speech. Then, he looked back at the door, crossing his arms. After a quick thought, he gazed back at his companion.

"You know, I have two brothers…" Prowl suddenly said, gaining Bumblebee's attention. "My older brother, X-Brawn, who has taken care of me ever since I can remember; and Side Burn, who we have always took out of trouble ever since we can remember." He said, making the yellow bot chuckle. "It has always been the three of us against the world, and, one by one, we came of age. X-Brawn and I decided to apply for the Academy, we wanted to be warriors. He became a soldier, and I a cop. Then, it was Side Burn's turn to choose what he wanted for his future." He smirked at the memory and shook his head, slightly chuckling. "We figured that he would want to become a racer, or something like that, since he was a speed-junkie… Always getting into trouble…" Bumblebee smiled at that comment. "But, he chose to enter the Military Academy too. Suddenly, he wanted to be an Elite Guard. I didn't believe that he was ready for the harsh training, and all that stuff; but I said nothing, sure that he would forfeit after the first week. But he didn't. In fact, he was excited about the trainings; and he kept telling us about his new best buddies… I never saw him so satisfied, so centered in his life. I know that people thinks that I don't have feelings, but that's not true; and I was happy for him." Then, he closed his eyes, remembering something. "It was then when the war started; and, eventually, Iacon was stormed by the 'Cons. X-Brawn and I were on our way to the place where the Elite Guard's rookies trained. We wanted to protect our little brother… but, by the time we reached the building, it was in ruins… There was nothing we could do, so we went to the nearest spaceship we could find and left the planet. We spent the rest of the war drifting in the outer space, next to other five thousand survivors." Prowl confessed, evidently sad. "When we returned to Cybertron, first thing we did was to visit the Academy's ruins… And, out of the blue, Side Burn was there. For over four million years we believed that our little brother was another victim of the war, but, suddenly, we realized that he survived too. Apparently, he and another two trainees were saved from the attack thanks to one of the trainers, Sentinel Prime. However, when the city was finally lost, they tried to reach the closest spaceship that there was, losing one of their friends in the way. As us, he drifted in the universe, wondering if X-Brawn or I survived."

Finally, the cop looked into Bumblebee's eyes, serious.

"Because of the war, my family scattered through the universe for eons; so I do understand the people who just can't forget." He said, bitterly. "Though, I do understand you too." He added, then, arching an eyebrow and cocking his head. "This… particular 'Con has been a model convict this far; in fact, I kind of hope you're right about him. Besides, we're needing medics with all the accidents we're having at the rebuilding."

Both bots shared a smile, right before the commander exited the room and ordered Prowl to wait for him outside. The older cop nodded and did as told, while the Wrecker walked up to the yellow bot, who got ready for an argument… Instead, Ultra Magnus sighed, and, surprisingly, admitted his defeat. Apparently, he noticed the differences in Knock Out's behavior, so, he decided to trust in Bumblebee's judgement. However, if there was another incident, they would have to come up with a back-up plan; otherwise, the Council would start to ask for answers.

That settled, the blue bot left the clinic, and the former scout entered the consulting room to have a talk with the red medic.

* * *

 **Guess who were my favorite characters from _Transformers: Robots in Disguise_ (2001)? Yup. The Autobot brothers! I thought that Ultra Magnus needed a partner who were as obsessive as he was about the rules... Prowl was my first option, and, since I was going to bring him back, I decided to mention X-Brawn and Side Burn as well.**

 **Let me know what you think.**

 **Bye!**


	10. NINE: Visa

**Hello! Thank you all for your lovely reviews! You made me happy!**

 **Now, I'm uploading these two next chapters together because, after thought about it, I really don't know why I wrote them by separate...**

 **Warning: English isn't my mother language, so there's a big chance that you'll find grammar mistakes. I'm deeply sorry about it.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own** ** _Transformers_** **franchise, nor its characters. It's a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **NINE: Visa**

Within another month, two more incidents took place.

Whenever Knock Out appeared in public, a dozen bots pounced on the medic, and tried to terminate him. Unable to take it any longer, the red mech pleaded to be left indoors as long as he was in probation; only to prevent future encounters with angry citizens. And so, nor Knock Out, nor Bumblebee have left the apartment in five days. This was going too far… The warrior knew that he needed to find a solution, and he needed to find it quickly. But, no matter what tricks he tried, the medic simply refused to go out. The police officer, eventually, had to give up…

They were going nowhere until the waters settled down… Meaning that they would, most likely, be trapped in Bumblebee's apartment for the rest of their lives…

"I _really_ need to figure something out." The warrior thought, while, once again, trying to convince his guest to go outside. At least to buy food, which they needed! But the red mech refused again, stating that he was lucky to survive their first three trips to the tent, and that he wouldn't take the risk a fourth time. Finally, the cop gave in and called a friend, asking him to please buy him some Energon, and apologizing for the inconvenience.

By the end of the week, as the night fell, the young police officer went to recharge, trying to forget the daily trouble that he was facing. However, around midnight, when he was finally starting to fall asleep, someone called him.

Startled by the sudden alarm, Bumblebee jerked on his bed, looking for the source of the sound. Then, he noticed that the small computer that he had on top of a narrow desk at one side of his bed was indicating that someone was calling.

"Not… happening…" He grumbled, while sitting up. Drowsily, he pressed the key to accept the call. "Hello?" He yawned.

"Oops! Sorry for calling so late, I forgot the time difference…" A raspy voice said.

"Ratchet!" Now fully awake, the yellow bot passed the call to videoconference.

In the screen appeared the face of Ratchet, standing at the control room of the brand new Omega Outpost, back on Earth. Behind the medic, Bumblebee got a glimpse of the space-bridge; also, he noticed some changes in the room since the last time they talked (well, he kind of remembered that Ratchet mentioned something about some remodeling they were doing, but it was a while ago). The old bot was smiling at the former scout, evidently happy of being having a normal and quiet life; thing that made the yellow bot smile too.

"Oh, it's great to see you!" He said with a happy sigh.

"Same here." The medic said with a smirk. "Haven't heard of you in a while…" He added then, now with an inquisitive look.

"Yeah, I've been busy…" The young bot admitted with a shrug, and an apologetic smile.

"I know; the others told me about your most recent…" His voice faded as he started to mumble, looking for the most diplomatic word to refer about his friend's situation. "…job." He finally said.

"So you know about Knock Out. You think I'm crazy too, don't you, Ratch?" The warrior asked, arching an eyebrow.

"I… didn't say that." The medic retorted, but, the way he averted his eyes said it all.

Bumblebee sighed in despair.

"Why does everyone thinks that this is going to go south?"

"Because you're sheltering a Decepticon in your own house, that's why. Bumblebee, you're taking an unnecessary risk…" The medic commented in concern for the young bot's welfare. "Why don't you allow someone else to guard Knock Out until his parole is over?"

"Because no one else cares, nor will give him a chance to prove himself. I'm the only ally he has, Ratchet; and the only one who would help him whenever he gets attacked by some angry citizen." He explained, while crossing his legs Indian-style, on his bed.

"Oh, yes. Magnus told me about that… How's he?"

"I think that what hurts the most is his pride." The yellow bot chuckled, only to end up sighing, depressed. He needed to find a solution for this mess, otherwise, Knock Out would go back to jail, and he would be doubted as a law representative figure. He was making a mistake, but what was it? Looking back at the screen, the warrior thought that _now_ was his chance to ask for advice. "I don't know what else to do, Ratch. I mean, I know that there are people who are still mad at him, but we can't stay indoors forever…"

"And, what're you planning to do? Protect him from a whole planet? Not even Optimus would be able to do such thing, lad…"

"No, I guess not…" The warrior admitted, and, sighing, he let himself fall across the bed, while stretching his legs. "I ran out of ideas… And I'm tired…"

"I'm sorry that I can't help you, 'Bee." Ratchet apologized when he saw the lad's reaction to his previous commentary. Sighing, he recognized that the young mech was trying his best, but, still, he had to admit that it would be nearly impossible to keep Knock Out safe, when every Autobot in the planet was well-aware of the things he did.

Seeing that Bumblebee was reaching his limits, the old medic decided that it was the perfect time to change the subject…

"In other news, Rafael just skipped a grade." The old bot said, trying to sound casual. It was better to get the warrior's mind off his current mission.

"Wait, what?" The younger bot asked, looking above his chest, without sitting up.

"Yes, he's in high school now. Apparently, his teacher decided that he was too advanced to be with the other kids of his age." He explained with a proud smile, nodding slightly. "However, I believe that something's bugging him lately, since he's been working in a science project, but doesn't allow me to help him…" The medic commented, while scratching his chin. Then, he shrugged. "But he did introduced me his niece."

"Woah! Raf has a niece?!" Bumblebee exclaimed surprised, sitting up with a jump. "Since when?!"

"Um… A year, I think…" Ratchet tried to remember, while scratching his helm. "He brought the baby and showed her around." Suddenly, he chuckled. "Oh, you should've seen Agent Fowler trying to understand how to hold a just born." He said, laughing and slightly shaking his head, while pressing his temples with his right hand, while placing the left one on his hip. "Also, Jack is doing great on college; and Miko has announced that, next year, she will attend the University of Tokio."

"Oh, how I miss the kids…" The yellow bot sighed with a warm smile on the lips.

Then, it hit him: that was it… That was the answer to his prayers, the solution to the mess that was sucking them like a black hole. Thanking the old medic, Bumblebee hung up, saying that he needed to catch some sleep; then, he spent the rest of the night plotting his next move.

It was a sunny day in Cybertron, though the air announced an acid storm approaching; but, what really was worrying Knock Out was the fact that Bumblebee, not only intruded his bedroom and shook him by the shoulders until he woke up, but also that, once he was fully awake, the warrior dragged him _out_ of the apartment. Even worse: they were headed _downtown_! Where was he taking him?! He tried to ask, but the yellow bot only said that he had an idea to help him during the probation time, and sped up. "Oh, scrap!" The medic thought as they reached the police department in which Bumblebee worked. A hundred possibilities of why would the younger mech bring him there popped up in his mind. Unfortunately, none of them were good…

What were they doing there?! Was he going to ask another cop to take care of him?! Or worse: was he going to tell Ultra Magnus that he couldn't watch over him anymore, and that Knock Out should be tossed back into his cell?!

By the time the warrior and himself entered the building, the former 'Con was hyperventilating. The weird looks from the other officers didn't help his nerves either, so he was about to plead to his guard that they left the place, when Bumblebee suddenly waved at some other cop. Knock Out recognized the guy: he was the same bot that entered the clinic next to Ultra Magnus a month ago… Never caught his name.

"Hey, Prowl. Is Magnus here?" The yellow bot asked, startling the black and white bot, who was reading a report and drinking some Energon when the former scout appeared.

"Um… Yes, he is. But he's busy right now; want to leave a message?" He wondered, looking at the red medic who was trembling behind the warrior's figure.

"No, thanks; I rather talk to him in person, if you don't mind." The young mech said, politely, receiving a shrug as answer. As Prowl left, he patted Knock Out's shoulder. "Grab a chair, we're going to wait."

"Ok, do you mind to tell me what the scrap we are doing here?! I'm dealing with enough stress already, you know?!" Knock Out demanded, frowning.

"Alright, alright! Just sit down and I'll explain you my plan." Bumblebee promised, as both of them took seat next to the commander's office's door.

Ultra Magnus's morning was, officially, a damn nightmare: as soon as he checked in, an avalanche of reports fell on top of his desk; only to be topped off by the call he was attending at that very moment, in which he got informed that a Decepticon of high-risk escaped from one of the safest prisons in the whole planet. None of the guards knew _how_ the convict got out of his cell, but the security cameras recorded him as he scrapped the trooper that tried to stop him. Of course, the commander ordered to send him the videos immediately, so he could have a clear idea of what he was dealing with.

Soon enough, the footage was on his datapad: at first the only bot in the camera's frame is the prison's guard, making a routine round; but, suddenly, a flash of light fills the room, making the picture go completely white; by the time the image is visible again, the guard is on the ground with a Decepticon (a Seeker, considering the wings on his back), on top of him. After terminating the guard, the runaway prisoner notices the security camera and proceeds to destroy it as well. "What the…? Where did he appeared from?" The commander wondered, as he replayed the video. Something was wrong… Either someone sabotaged the prison's cameras, or that guy popped out of the thin air; and, since the later was highly improbable, Ultra Magnus tried his luck with the first theory.

Leaving the datapad on his desk, the Wrecker called back at the prison's chief to ask a full diagnosis of the security system. Meanwhile, he glimpsed at the pile of reports he had yet to read; doing so, he found a pattern: there were, at least, four reports about stolen Energon. Was this related to the escapee? He was so concentrated trying to put both events together, that he forgot that he still had the prison's chief on the phone… Snapping out of his trance, the commander apologized, hung up, and started to read the reports at light speed.

The footage was from a couple days ago, yet, the robberies has been happening since a couple months. So this wasn't connected? No, probably not at first, but now… The 'Con that escaped seemed to be disorientated, as if he didn't know how he got into that building nor what he was doing in there; probably, it could have been because of his long period in a stasis pod, so he would seek for two things: first, to reach the outside so he could locate himself, and he already did it; meaning that, now, the Seeker's main concern must be his lack of fuel, meaning that some of the robberies that took place in those days were perpetrated by the prisoner. With some luck, he would be able to find him before he does something stupid.

Deciding that it was time to start a little research, the commander walked out of his office, looking for Prowl (his dedication to the law enforcement made him the perfect partner); only to notice that he had Bumblebee and Knock Out waiting outside. Well, actually, they were _arguing_ to be precise.

"What're you two doing here?" He asked, arching an eyebrow, as soon as he saw them.

The two mechs stopped their chat, and got on their feet to talk to Ultra Magnus. Only the yellow one was smiling, while the medic seemed to be… angry? What were those two up to?

Bumblebee asked the Wrecker to talk in private, and, despite he should have told his subordinate that he was in the middle of an investigation, Ultra Magnus allowed the bots into his office, inviting his guests to take seat.

"I'm in a hurry, though, so…" The commander said quickly, while going to sit down on his chair.

"I'll be brief: I want to go back to Earth." Bumblebee said, straightforward.

An awkward silence, in which the medic covered his face with his right hand, while shaking his helm a little, fell upon them. Meanwhile, the blue bot was trying to decide whether he truly heard that, or his audio-receptors were playing him tricks.

"I… I'm sorry; what?" He asked, leaning over his desk and arching an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I made the same face." Knock Out commented, pointing at Ultra Magnus's disbelief expression.

The young warrior hurried to pull his companion's hand down, while frowning.

"You want to survive your parole?" The yellow bot asked, receiving a nod and an exasperation sigh from his charge. "Then help me out!"

"Wait a minute, wait a minute! Hold that thought, soldier! _Nobody_ is going back to Earth!" The commander said, while raising his servos and waving them in denial. "He's on **_probation_** , Bumblebee! He can't leave the city, leave alone the planet!" He added, while getting up and gesturing towards the red bot, who cocked his head, tiredly.

"Actually, he can."

"What?!" Both, Ultra Magnus and Knock Out, asked.

"Yes." The former scout pulled out a small datapad, and started to search for a file. Once he found it, he handed the object to the blue bot, who quickly started to read it. "That's a copy of Knock Out's parole terms; and, according to it, he's free to go wherever he requires, as long as I go along to watch over him."

"Um… Is that true?" The medic asked to the Autobot commander, utterly confused. The true was that he never saw the document, so he ignored if there was any legal lagoon on it; however, he thought that his limitations were the regular ones: to remain in his designated guard's sight, and to remain within the city until the probation was over.

"Apparently…" Ultra Magnus said absently, while reading the file fully interested. "Who wrote this thing? It's terribly misspelled! Anyone knows that the convict's limitations MUST be stipulated in the file; otherwise…"

"Otherwise it's open to speculations, such as mine; am I right?" Bumblebee mocked, crossing his arms in front of his chest, and lying back on his chair.

Both adults stared at the yellow bot with wide eyes. Since when was this kid an expert in legal gray zones? But, the Wrecker had no other choice but to admit that the warrior was on his right to request a visa, since the probation's papers weren't specific; and, for Knock Out, it meant that he was stuck with a guard who was suddenly feeling nostalgic of his home away from home.

Would he have to go back to that rock? No, thank you! Bumblebee might have beautiful memories from Earth, but he didn't! His life sucked back then, as it sucked at that very moment; and he had no intentions of revive his days inside of the _Nemesis_. "Though, it would mean to be close to… No! Snap out of it, idiot! Bumblebee will be next to you the whole fragging time, meaning that you would expose her! And, anyway, you don't know what happened in this two years…" The medic argued with himself, reason why he didn't noticed that the other two were still debating about the yellow warrior's idea.

Knock Out came back to the present when Ultra Magnus walked towards one of his lockers, looking for something.

"Ugh… Where are those…? I know I put them here." He mumbled while searching in the different drawers. After try three different lockers, he finally found what he was looking for. "Aha! This one it is!" He said, taking a couple of documents out of the drawer, and, then, walking back to his companions. "Look, I'm not going to lie: since this new council took over, the policies has been rather… excessive; even for _me_." The commander growled, while handling over the datapads he was holding to his visitors. "You have to fill those, and take them to the Custom House. In… six or seven…" His voice faded as he looked away, scratching his chin, calculating. "…maybe eight… deca-cycles, you'll have your visas."

"Whoa! Eight deca-cycles?! That long?!" Bumblebee yelled, while jumping off his chair. "It used to be transacted in joors!"

"Hasn't been like that in a long time now…" Ultra Magnus said, shrugging.

"Oh, scrap!"

"Uh-ho, guess we're not going to Earth after all…" Knock Out said, sarcastic, while smirking at the young bot, and fanning himself with the datapad that the commander gave him.

Pissed, the former scout frowned, told the blue bot that he would do it, grabbed the medic, and stomped out of the room. Ultra Magnus remained on his place, looking at the door for a couple seconds, trying to process what just happened. "I think I might be getting worried for that kid…" He thought.

The yellow bot and the former 'Con were already outside when the commander caught up with them. The Wrecker was, once again, being followed by Prowl; the blue bot said that he was about to start an investigation, however, he wanted to settle some conditions with Bumblebee. It confused the young bot.

"Conditions? What are you talking about?" He wondered, arching an eyebrow.

"Well, if you're going to go back to Earth, I want you to take someone with you, to help you watch over him." He explained, while gesturing to Knock Out, who snorted, feeling slightly offended.

"You realize that it's just Knock Out, don't you?" The former scout retorted, disregarding his superior's worries… and stabbing the medic's pride in the process.

"Hey! I'm still here!" The red bot complained.

"Still, it's a 'Con, and you will be on your own once you reach that planet. So, would you, at least, tell the others of what you're planning to do? At least Bulkhead and Wheeljack. I'm sure than the old team would tag along as soon as you mention the Earth…"

"Alright. I'll tell the others." Bumblebee gave in… Then, he remembered something. "Do you know where can I find Arcee? I haven't seen her in a couple months now…"

"Spaceships' ports. Good luck, soldier." The commander said, while walking up to Prowl, who was already waiting in vehicle mode. However, he stopped to look at the medic. "… Don't forget what I told you." He said, narrowing his eyes, and sending chills down the red bot's back. "Prowl, roll out!" He finally ordered, while transforming and driving out of the police department.

It was decided: he was going back to Earth… in company of those that he once called enemies. What could possibly go wrong…?


	11. TEN: Scrap, Scrap, and More Scrap!

**Here's the next chapter!**

* * *

 **TEN: Scrap, Scrap, and More Scrap!**

For being so big, Bulkhead was really hard to find.

Ever since he went back to be a laborer, the green bot has worked nonstop, putting all his effort into the cities' rebuilding. He felt somewhat happy of going back to his element; but, despite of his smile and cheerful personality, some could see that he felt sad, as if something was missing. And, of course, Wheeljack was the first one in notice that his good friend was feeling nostalgic. Unlike him, the white bot has always been a lone wolf; the kind of guy who can work in teams, but prefers not to do it because he will end driving his superiors crazy (Ultra Magnus was the living proof of it…). And yet, even _he_ had to admit that he missed Miko… That kid was a fine Wrecker. Too bad that they couldn't stick around a little bit longer.

Finally, at noon, the bots took a break to lunch; so Wheeljack decided to get away from the pipes he was welding, and go to talk with his best pal. Bulkhead was, also, leaving what he was doing, and looking for a good place to sit down. They were at the city's outskirt, so they were the only bots in miles.

"Hey, Bulk!"

"Hey, Jackie…" The alluded said, with a sigh.

"Okay… You're too down in the dumps… What's up?" He asked, worriedly, while placing his hands on the sides of his hip.

"It's just…" The Wrecker sighed. "Today was Miko's birthday, I think… I mean, I'm not sure if I calculated it right, but, it was around this date." The green bot explained, while scratching his head. Then, he sighed again. "It's been two years already, Jackie. Do you think that she feels… abandoned?"

"I'm sure she understands. Our planet and our people needs us." The white bot reassured his friend, while placing a hand on Bulkhead's shoulder. "Besides, she's tough; she's an honorary Wrecker, remember? I'm sure she's fine…"

Bulkhead lowered his head, sighing. Nobody knew that girl the way he did. Sure, Miko might look all tough and fearless from the outside, but, inside, she was full of doubts and confidence issues. It made him worry…

He was aware of her lack of friends back in Japan; actually, she once mentioned him that her only friends were Jack, Raf, and the Autobots, with Bulkhead as her best buddy. What if she was feeling lonely? What if she started to believe that he would never return? Or worse, what if she started thinking that he forgot her? They spent so much time together that they became a family; he couldn't just leave that behind! He wanted his partner back! But, with the new policies about space-bridging, it was almost impossible for a guy like him to go pay a visit to his old friends…

The sudden noise of a roaring engine called the Wreckers attention, as a cloud of dust announced a newcomer. By instinct the warriors got ready to fight… only to put down their guard when they recognized Bumblebee, who was arguing with Knock Out, while walking up to them.

The Wreckers shared a quizzical look before smile, and happily call their old friend, waving their arms up in the air. The yellow bot laughed and ran up to them, followed closely by the red medic, who seemed to be tense… Not that someone would blame him: last time he saw the Wreckers was in the battlefield.

"Oh! It's great to see you, guys!" The yellow bot said, while hugging his two friends.

"It's great to see _you_ , 'Bee!" Bulkhead chuckled, while returning the hug.

"Don't call, don't write; we were startin' to feel ignored, you know?" Wheeljack joked, while winking at the young warrior, who sighed and shook his head, understanding the mock.

* * *

At the Sea of Rust, a purple and black aircraft was making a surveillance. Not too long ago, he located a faint signal of an old acquaintance of his; and, though it was almost impossible for someone to survive in that wasteland, he settled course towards the beacon's source, hoping to find something. Finally, after flying for over four hours, enduring the rust's storms, his scanners picked a faint track of Energon. It could mean that who he was looking for has passed, since he shouldn't be receiving this signals otherwise; but, after knowing him for so long…

Descending, the aircraft transformed into a purple and black Seeker; and, once he was standing on his own legs, the bot took out his weapons… Just in case.

The signal indicated Energon, but he couldn't see any trace of such thing. "Strange… My scanners never failed before. Maybe…" As he lowered his eyes to check again, he saw what he was looking for: a dried stain of Energon that was decorating a rock. Someone passed through that spot, and he was injured. Now with a track to follow, the Seeker started to walk away from his landing spot.

It took him two hours of wander around in the depths of the Sea of Rust, but he finally found him. The bot's silver armor glowed in the distance, but he was lying on the ground, seemed to be unconscious; was he…? No, he couldn't be; not after all he has done. Fortunately, as the Seeker ran towards the figure, a soft groan indicated that he was still alive. Good.

"I found you, sir…" He commented, slightly satisfied, before turn on his comlink. "I'm going back… I've got him."

* * *

By nightfall, Bumblebee and Knock Out were on their way back to the apartment, after talk about the warrior's crazy idea of returning to Earth, next with the others. Obviously, the whole team accepted, stating that they couldn't wait to see their human friends again. However, while the yellow bot was singing in happiness, the medic wasn't pleased at all about this plan. Go back to that planet, which was located at the other end of the universe?! What for?! Yes, sure, his head had a price on Cybertron, and probably in the colonies too, but Earth wasn't different! After all, he attacked the humans, put the Autobot's allies in danger plenty times, and he was more than sure that none of them forgot nor forgave his previous behavior. What assured him that those creatures won't try to obliterate him as soon as he walked out of the space-bridge? If he only could say something to make Bumblebee understand why he didn't want to return there… On the other hand, did he truly don't want to return or was his pride talking? After all, a part of him knew that, at least, the major part of the human population didn't know about his existence, so he should be safer there… And yet…

They were midway to the police officer's apartment when it happened: a vehicle appeared out of nowhere, and crashed against Knock Out's side. The hit was so strong that the Aston Martin twirled several feet before come to a halt.

"What?! Knock Out!" Reacting, Bumblebee made a U-turn, and sped towards the attacker, sending him running to prevent be arrested. The yellow bot transformed. "Here officer Bumblebee requesting back-up at Iacon's main street. Over." He informed before take out his weapons. The culprit was already slightly far away… but not enough: one good shot, and the attacker lost one of his tires, losing balance, and crashing against the guardrail. The warrior smiled, satisfied. "You'll find the perpetrator crashed at the second mile's marker. Send medics to my location, Knock Out is hurt." Then, he checked the red mech, noticing that the former 'Con, though he transformed, wasn't responding… "Knock Out? Are you ok? Knock Out! Hey! You're scaring me!" No answer. "Scrap!"

The medics appeared in the distance.

It was one of those days in which you start reconsidering your life. Once again, he lost the patient in the surgery table, but he didn't have time to weep about it that he was already with another one. There weren't enough field medics, reason why they brought him to the outpost, but, was he up to the job? The stress was worse killer than the bullets; and, outside the building, the explosions were continuous. As he sutured the injury, finishing his job, the red bot felt dizzy, and his friend had to hold him.

"You okay? When was the last time you recharged?" The blue armored bot wondered.

"I… I don't know…" It was true. He couldn't remember… But he didn't have time for it neither, so, he simply shook his head to wake himself up. "Call a nurse, say that I'm done with this one; I'll go and see if anyone else needs a medic, ok?" He said, walking out of the makeshift consulting room.

"Okay, but you should take a break, Knock Out… You're not looking good…" His friend told him, while going out to get a nurse… _a real nurse_ … After all, he was working as one because his friend needed help to move the injured warriors.

"I'll do it as soon as I can." The red bot answered, while walking down the narrow corridor.

The place was cramped, and, on top of that, crowded with both, medics and wounded, so it was really hard to walk. Another explosion made him look outside the field clinic, noticing that someone shot an aircraft off the sky, and it fell not too far from where they were. To look out the window was painful for Knock Out, because he still remembered the city and its beauty; but, now, there was nothing but ruins around him…

Days before the war started, he was planning to go to Crystal City. He heard that its population were mostly scientists, so he thought that he would fit in just perfectly… Unfortunately, it was one of the first targets. Only a few bots survived the attack, and looked for shelter at Iacon. The capital city was now the last Autobot stronghold that remained… and, 'till two days ago, he was trapped in there, next to the other few bots who were factionless, and that, when seen by a Decepticon, were used as target practice. At least, in the field clinic he was being useful… right?

"Medic!" The scream made Knock Out return to reality. "We need a medic!"

Two flyers were screaming at the clinic's entrance, holding a third bot, a femme of crimson armor, who was larger than them. Her head was hanging down, while the two fliers grabbed a hold on her by passing her arms around their shoulders, and placing theirs around her waist. She was unconscious, and Knock Out saw why: the femme had a huge cut on the lower torso, and was leaking a _lot_ of Energon.

"I'm a medic, come this way!" He said, while entering an empty consulting room, followed by the trio. "Put her on the table!" He ordered in a hurry, while inspecting the instrumental cases, noticing that some things were missing. Growling, he looked out of the small room, spotting a nurse who was distributing Energon through the patients. "Hey! I need a surgery welder, patches, and the transfusion equipment! Quickly!" The nurse nodded and went to get the stuff. Then, he went to check the patient more closely.

"How bad is it?" One of the flyers asked, honestly worried. His armor was black with a red tattoo that resembled two concentric rings on the left wing. The other one was sky blue, and had the same tattoo in the right wing. They were twins.

"The injury is deep, and she lost a lot of Energon already; if I can't suture this…" He said, while preparing everything for the surgery. "The knees' articulators are also damaged, I'll have to repair that too." He said, while connecting the femme to the stasis lock tubes.

Then, the nurse came back with all the required stuff, allowing Knock Out to start the surgery. It was harder than he thought: some inner circuits were curtailed, and needed reconstruction. What he believed would take no longer than an hour, turned into a five hours surgery; but it was worth it, because he saved a life… that was all that mattered.

Sighing, the red medic sat on the nearest corner, falling into recharge immediately.

Out of the room, the twins that brought the femme were doing the same…

When he opened his optics, he noticed that now _he_ was the one attached to medical equipment, and lying on top of a stretcher. As he started to regain conscious, Knock Out remembered the "accident", and concluded that Bumblebee brought him to the clinic. As he tried to turn around to watch the monitors, a stabbing pain on his side made him groan and desist.

"How're you feeling?"

Of course… Bumblebee was standing next to him, keeping watch…

"Like scrap…" He said. The stasis gas was still on his system. It was hard to focus. "Did you see the plates?" He tried to joke.

"I did better: I got the guy." The warrior said with a smirk.

"Huh…" The medic looked the ceiling, feeling that the anesthesia was almost gone. Then, after a second, he looked back at the yellow bot. "You know? Earth is starting to look like a nice vacation's destination…"

Chuckling, Bumblebee told the former 'Con to rest, that he would take care of their visas and passports later, once the medic was off the clinic. Before he finished his sentence, Knock Out was already recharging.

* * *

Away from there, the same Seeker from before was returning from another robbery. It was a matter of time before everything was ready for them to return, to finish what they started so long ago… But, first, he had to take care of his superior. As he landed, carrying the Energon package, the bot hissed, remembering that he had to accept that guy's help. He disliked him for being a scientist, but, mostly, he disliked him for being a politician…

Once he dropped the Energon in the cargo bay, the Seeker went to check on the bot he rescued from the Sea of Rust. He was still unconscious. When he found him, the guy lost so much Energon that he fell into stasis. Yet, it wasn't that what worried him, but the physical state in which he found him: his whole body was a wreck, and there were no warranties of save him; but he wouldn't give up just yet.

He has survived worse things, and this time wouldn't be an exception.

But, for now, all he could do was follow orders… and hope…

* * *

 **That's all for now!**

 **See you soon! Tell me what you think!**

 **Bye!**


	12. ELEVEN: Welcome Party

**Hello, everybody! How're you doing? Hope you're fine!**

 **Don't worry, danielmletchford2, I'll keep writting... as soon as the inspiration returns... (I'm currently writting chapter 27, but my Muse decided to do something else...) But I will keep writing! I refuse to leave this story unfinished!**

 **And, no, it wasn't Thundercracker. Or maybe it was? *Evil laugh* Nah, talking serious, it wasn't him; though I am planning to bring him back ;)**

 **Warning: English isn't my mother language, so there might be some grammar mistakes. I'm sorry about that...**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own** ** _Transformers Prime_** **, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **ELEVEN: Welcome Party**

Arcee was about to go back home, to get ready for go back to Earth, when the radar detected another spaceship on its way to the surface; and, it was an Autobot spacecraft. It was the third that day. Sighing, the femme opened a communication channel with the vessel, and asked the captain to identify. A young bot's voice (a femme), asked for permission to land, stating that she was returning with survivors. Arcee's jaw dropped when she recognized who it was. It was impossible…

"Moonracer? Is that you?" The two-wheeler asked in disbelief.

"Huh? Who's this? How you know my name?" The voice in the radio asked.

"It's me! Arcee!"

"'Cee?! Oh, hi girl! Long time no see!" The young femme giggled happily at this. In the background someone else yelled at the femme, bothered by something, making Moonracer go back to reality. "Oh, yes! I need permission to land, please!"

Arcee chuckled.

"Permission granted. Welcome back!"

As the ship landed, the blue femme ran out of the control tower to welcome her old friend. It has been so long since she heard of anyone that served at the femme's army that she started to believe the rumors that said that the femmes were almost extinct. When she reached the landing port, the passengers were already exiting, and were being checked in by the troopers that watched the place. Arcee was surprised that there were so many survivors inside of such a small ship…

Then, she saw her: a young and short femme of mint-green armor was talking with a trooper. Judging by her gestures while trying to explain her rank, and why she was commanding a spacecraft instead of the actual captain, Arcee was able to deduce that the young femme haven't changed a bit from the last time they saw each other. Smiling, the two-wheeler walked up to the newcomer, who quickly hugged the older femme, before saying that she was really glad to see that she was alright, because nobody heard of her again, after she left the femmes' army. The blue femme chuckled, admitting that she wasn't sure of where she got the strength to endure the war, though she was sure that it was all thanks to the guys' help.

"Oh! I'm so happy that we met again, 'Cee!" The younger femme said, cheerfully. "C'mon, c'mon! We have a lot of catch up to do!" She added, while grabbing the two-wheeler by the wrist, and walking away. However, Arcee stopped her immediately.

"I'm sorry, but I'm leaving tomorrow morning, so…" She said, while freeing her hand. The mint-green femme pouted at the news. "I'm sorry… Maybe next time."

"Okay. Where're you going?"

At sunrise, Bumblebee and Knock Out were on their way to the space-bridges' port. None of them both could believe that they had to wait three months to have their visas and passports, all thanks to the new policies. Ultra Magnus wasn't kidding when he said that the new council installed excessive measures! The formularies were endless, and they needed to present them by triplicate. Triplicate! The yellow bot couldn't remember a single time in which he needed to make three copies for a request, nor could the medic! Deep inside, the warrior was feeling sorry for his friends, because they went through the same thing, all thanks to his plan… Sighing, he hoped that it would work.

"Cold feet?" Knock Out wondered.

"No; I'm just feeling bad that I pulled my friends into this… especially because of the customs procedures we went through…" The yellow bot answered, while looking at the Aston Martin through his right rearview mirror.

"Get used to it, kiddo. Politicians rarely knows how the world works, but they find pleasure in torture the rest of the people with annoying protocols…"

"Sounds like you have a lot of experience with such things." Bumblebee mocked his companion.

"I'm not going to talk about it…"

They kept driving in silence; until they were joined by Smokescreen, who seemed a little too eager to get out of the planet. Bumblebee questioned his friend about it, but he refused to talk about the matter, saying that he only needed a little time to figure out the right way to overcome his "problem". Knowing that the blue bot was now helping in the rebuilt Military Academy, the yellow bot asked if his nervousness was related to his job; but, as before, Smokescreen refused to answer, insisting that all he needed was time… and maybe some distance. "So, it's a yes." Bumblebee thought, trying not to laugh.

Desperate to change the subject, the Elite Guard looked at Knock Out, asking if he was ready to go back to Earth. The medic huffed. Nope. He wasn't happy of returning to that planet, though he agreed that he would be much safer there than in Cybertron; but, the idea of return to that "rock" (as he usually called it) was far from making him happy. Probably because he was going to spent what's left of his parole in company of those who used to be his worst enemies… Thinking about it, Smokescreen had to admit that he wouldn't be excited about it either, if their roles were inverted.

At the space-bridges' port, Arcee and the Wreckers were already waiting for them. Immediately after transform Smokescreen ran to greet his friends, happy of seeing them after so long; and, to everyone's surprise, even Bulkhead was glad of seeing him… Of course, the smiles faded away as soon as Knock Out's silhouette came into view behind Bumblebee. The medic averted their gaze, pretending not to be interested; but the truth was that he was nervous about this, about leave the planet in company of this bots.

The yellow warrior scanned his surroundings a couple times before ask about Ultra Magnus's location, but his only answer was a group shrug. Nobody knew, and, honestly, Wheeljack was relieved of knowing that the commander wouldn't come to wish them luck. Though they mended their differences long time ago, the two mechs still ended up in a fight when it comes to specific matters. Well, if nobody else was missing, it was time to leave.

Presenting their passports and visas, the team walked towards the bot in charge of the space-bridges, who, after check the documents (and ask a few questions to Bumblebee and Knock Out), opened the portal. The coordinates weren't the ones of Jasper, Nevada, thing that the medic pointed out; but the yellow warrior told him that it was because the bots decided to do it the old fashion way: they would bridge themselves to an unpopulated land, and then ask for a ground-bridge. One by one, the Autobots appeared at the top of some snowy mountain; but they didn't mind the cold, they were on Earth! All of them screamed joyfully for returning… Until the former 'Con reminded them that they could start an avalanche; however, he couldn't calm his companions, who were way too excited about meeting with their human friends again. "Well, I must say: I kind of envy them…" Knock Out thought, while crossing his arms and looking away.

After a minute or two, Bumblebee called back to their old base, requesting a ground-bridge. Before he could hung up, a green portal opened in front of them. Smiling, the bots walked into it without hesitation, but Knock Out…

"What's wrong?" The yellow bot asked, turning to look at the medic, who didn't move an inch; also, he seemed to be trembling.

"What you think?" He answered rudely, while gesturing at the bridge. "I know what's at the other end: your human friends, which I attacked multiple times! What makes you believe that I will be safer here, than in Cybertron?" He asked, frowning.

"Cybertronians _can_ kill you without hesitate; but Fowler and the children will listen to me, so, you have higher possibilities of survival here, than back home." The warrior explained, arching an eyebrow and placing his hands at the sides of his hip. "Come on. You'll be fine…" He added, while patting the red bot in the shoulder, at the same time he pointed at the ground-bridge with his head.

Surrendering, Knock Out walked into the portal, where the rest of the team was waiting for them. Seeing that the medic agreed to come along, the bots smiled and kept walking until they all reached the other end.

After a flash of light, the Autobots and the former 'Con found themselves inside the old base, though it looked different, bigger, and there was a whole maze of catwalks for the humans, located right above their heads. However, the first thing they saw was Ratchet, standing in front of the mainframe, with his hand on the ground-bridge's controllers. Behind him, there was a lot of screens, showing pictures of the security cameras and different diagnosis from the database.

Ratchet closed the ground-bridge, while welcoming his friends with a big smile. The bots mirrored the welcome, while walking up to the old medic; however, they couldn't help but ask where the children were. The old bot apologized, saying that they weren't able to attend their return… The team couldn't hide their disappointment. All of them were really looking forward to meet with their partners after so long.

Suddenly, a rain of confetti fell upon the visitors, who yelped at the surprise; as Ratchet started to laugh out loud, and someone filled the room with thundering music.

"SURPRISE!"

From above a tall catwalk, the three children popped out, next to Agent Fowler and June Darby. As the bots started to laugh, understanding what just happened, the kids ran towards the platform behind the old medic, which left them at the bot's eye-level.

"Ratchet?! You played us a joke?!" Smokescreen managed to ask, between his chuckles.

The medic shrugged.

"Their idea." He said, crossing his arms while pointing at the children with his helm.

"Aw, c'mon, guys! You honestly thought we wouldn't come to welcome you?! Now that's shameful!" Miko said with a crooked smile, while placing her hands at the sides of her waist.

"Yeah, after almost three years, we totally wanted to see you again!" Jack commented, still holding the confetti cannon.

"But, we also wanted to get you off guard!" Rafael completed, while scratching the back of his neck.

The pass of time was evident on the children's appearance, especially in Miko and Rafael. The girl, who now had short hair, was dressed with an ivory colored outfit (a light jacket and a pair of shorts), with a pink tank top. Also, she was wearing white tights and black boots. The boy, on the other hand, was almost as tall as his friends; he still had that messy hair that Bumblebee remembered, and dressed similar to back then: glasses with orange frame, a yellow t-shirt under a white shirt, a pair of blue jeans, and orange sneakers. The yellow bot chuckled at the phrase "Oops! I divided it by zero", written at the t-shirt's chest in big black letters. The boy haven't changed at all.

Jack's only noticeable difference was that he was dressed in a deep blue jacket, a black t-shirt, black jeans, and black tennis.

"Well, mission accomplished!" Wheeljack laughed, while dusting off the confetti that got stuck on his helm and shoulders.

In no time, the children pumped up the volume of the music, and the Autobots found that the old medic mixed some drinks for everyone, while the teenagers revealed a table with food and drink for humans. Before Knock Out's startled face, a welcome party started… "And, of course, you're not invited." He told to himself, while lowering his head in a gloomy gesture that didn't went miss by the other bots, though nobody was sure of what to do…

Fortunately, Agent Fowler and June Darby walked into the catwalk, greeting the bots with big smiles. When the red medic saw them, a chill ran down his back, wondering what his punishment would be for hijacking them a couple years ago; but, once again, the reality surprised him when the middle aged man simply walked up to the table and grabbed a glass of soda, while the woman walked up to Arcee and Jack.

"Alright, I propose a toast." Fowler said, raising his glass.

Everyone turned to look at the special agent, with a big smile; while Smokescreen, noticing that Knock Out didn't have a drink, handed a glass of Energon to the red medic. The former 'Con took it doubtfully, a little startled by the sudden kindness (especially because the Autobots seemed to have forgotten about him). He couldn't help but look at the drink as if it were some sort of existential mystery.

At the catwalk, Fowler was trying to make up a little speech, which was going nowhere… and the teenagers noticed it as they shared a look, trying not to burst out in laughs. Finally, they decided to save the old man by taking over.

"For friendship!" The three teenagers cheered in unison, while raising their glasses.

"For friendship!" The bots cheered, while raising and tapping their cups, happily. They all were laughing, clearly pleased of being back on Earth with their friends…

"…Friendship…" Knock Out mumbled, barely lifting his glass.

After the toast, the children and the Autobots started to catch up, talking about the things that happened to them since the last time they saw each other; moment in which the red medic decided to find a far and comfortable corner for himself, feeling that he was an intruder in the scene. So, he simply stood there, watching the bots laugh and play with the children, while he was slowly drowning in his misery, thinking of how much Breakdown and his other friends from before the war would've loved to be there. A real party! It has been eons since the last one. A part of him wanted to join, to be part of that happiness; yet, there was another side of him reminding the medic that this celebration wasn't for him… It was for the Autobots. He was a mere stand-by witness.

"Hey! Doc-Knock!" The loud voice of the girl calling him made Knock Out come back to reality, noticing that the children and the bots were now looking at him. "Why so down in the dumps? There's a party over here!" She said, while gesturing him to get closer.

The medic arched an eyebrow. Were they actually _inviting_ him? He wanted to retort, to give the girl one of his famous smartass replies, but nothing was coming to his mind. He wasn't in the mood of starting a fight; to tell the truth, he was desperate to feel comfortable, so he decided to roll with it… at least for a while…

"Doc-Knock?" He repeated, like crumbling the word in his mouth. "Where did that come from?" He asked, arching an eyebrow and placing his free hand on the side of his hip.

"Miko has… a thing for nicknames." Jack explained, scratching the back of his neck, while the girl simply chuckled and nodded.

"It was a long time ago. We still were enemies." Bulkhead added.

"Ok. But I don't think we're on the nicknames' level yet; so please don't call me that in the future." The red bot said, while walking closer to the group, pretending disinterest.

Bumblebee, who seemed to see right through him, simply rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"You know? You used to lie better." The young bot commented, crossing his arms.

"Yeah? Well, you used to be less irritating."

"Woah… Bot's fight!" Miko yelled in exciment.

"Wow, wow! Step on the brakes, Miko! They're not going to do that, remember?" Rafael reminded the girl, who covered her mouth ashamed.

"Oh, right! The parole-thing!" The Japanese teenager suddenly remembered. "Sorry, I forgot!" She apologized to the red mech.

However, the comment called the medic's attention.

"Did you just…?" He wondered out loud, looking at the teenagers while cocking his head to the side, only to turn to look at Bumblebee. "They know?!" He asked.

"Well, yes. I told you that Fowler and the children would listen, right? Well, I couldn't just bring you to our base, just like that; they _needed to know_ the context." The police officer said, shrugging. "Besides, Ultra Magnus told Ratchet a while ago, so he already knew about your parole." He added, pointing at the old medic, who was standing behind Knock Out.

"You know? You could have told me about it… when we were on that fragging mountain!" The red medic snarled. "Ugh… And to think that I feared to be lynched as soon as I set foot in here…" He sighed, massaging his temples. "Do you know how many years has been rested from my lifespan because of my nervousness when we were coming here?"

Somehow, what he said made the children laugh out loud. They were enjoying to see the former Decepticon medic losing his cool and sarcasm, and, actually, be himself. Now, they were really happy of spend time with the 'Con, so they could see more sides of him… And, also, because something told them that the red bot already started to change.

* * *

 **That's all for now!**

 **Given that it was a short chapter, I'll upload the next one soon.**

 **Please let me know what you think!**

 **Bye!**


	13. TWELVE: Difficult Memories

**Hi, guys! I hope you're liking this story.**

 **Now, in this chapter I'm:**

 **A) Starting to give Knock Out reasons to hate me (though the worst is yet to come...)**

 **B) Introducing three new OCs (there'll be, at least, one more later in the story)**

 **Warning: English isn't my mother language, so there might be some grammar mistakes. I'm sorry about it.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own** ** _Transformers Prime,_** **nor its characters. It is a registered trademark from Hasbro.**

* * *

 **TWELVE: Difficult Memories**

There were things that he totally loved of being a medic (including the respect), but there were, also, things that made him feel nervous; and, there were other things that made him wonder, more times than he could count, if he chose the right profession for himself. As any other sane cybertronian, Knock Out liked the sparklings that usually crawled around in the pediatric wing; they were cute, and they represented his race's future, so…

That's when his superiors asked him to help in the pediatric wing, watching over a group of sparklings who were going to go through their periodical check that afternoon. One of the nurses was sick, and there was nobody else available for the job, so the red bot accepted. It were just a bunch of infants, right? How hard could it be?

Answer: _really hard_ …

Back then he ignored that sparklings are incredibly hyperactive. It was as if they never ran out of fuel! And, on top of that, he was put in charge of twenty of them. It didn't took long before Knock Out found himself sitting on the floor, tired, with a kid climbed on his back and another two pulling from his shoulder-plates, longing for some extra attention. Meanwhile, the other seventeen were running around him, or yelling… maybe there was one who was crying; he wasn't sure anymore… "Help… Please…" He mentally pleaded, while trying to ignore the sparkling who was playing with the tires of his back.

"Which one is yours?" A deep voice asked behind the medicine student. Recognizing it, Knock Out looked from above his shoulder, and, while putting the kid who was firmly grabbing his back-tires on the ground, the red bot blinked in surprise a couple times.

"Breakdown? What're you doing here?" He asked as he patted some sparkling's head.

"Hiding from Rung. He isn't fond to this place, so…" The blue bot explained with an awkward smile, while scratching the back of his helm.

"I thought we had an agreement: you go to therapy, and I would invite you to the graduation party." Knock Out reminded him. At the same time he lifted a little femme who was crying, and hugged her against his chest to try to calm her down. "I heard that ten of us will graduate at the same time, so it's going to be a big party."

"Okay, okay… I'll go." However, instead of leave, the big bot simply chuckled. "Oh, if you could see yourself right now…" He commented, biting his lip. The red bot arched an eyebrow, not understanding. "You actually look like a sire."

"Do you want to try out your parenting skills?" The medicine student challenged his new friend, while he ran to separate two boys who were fighting over a toy… with the femme from before still on his arms, because she refused to let go from him…

"Woah! No thank you! I'm not exactly planning of having kids; not now, not ever. I don't have the patience… nor the time. I'm a full-time worker, you know?"

"And what am I?" Knock Out wondered, right before a toy crashed against his helm. Following the trajectory, he frowned at a young cerulean mech who was laughing behind a cradle. "Don't think I didn't see it…" The kid ran to another corner, away from the adult.

Then… something worse happened: suddenly, the little femme on the bot's arms stopped crying, while the adult shuddered in disgust when a warm and slimy feeling on his right shoulder indicated him why was the girl crying. Grabbing some towels, he asked Breakdown to take the sparkling; doubtful, the blue bot did so… revealing that the little one purged on the medicine student's shoulder.

Knock Out woke up, hearing the echoes of an electric guitar. As he focused his eyes, he saw that he was at the quarters that the Autobots designated for him. It was right next door to Bumblebee's; so, if anything happened, the yellow bot would be able to reach him faster than anybody else. "Ugh… Why do I keep dreaming this things?" He wondered as he slid his legs off the bed, yawning and rubbing his optics. The red bot, then, inspected his new room: it was small, like all the other two dozen quarters on that base; it had a berth, a desk, and a wash rack; it wasn't luxury, nor elegant. The room was designed to be efficient, and that was it.

The echo of the guitar appeared again. Stretching, the medic walked outside his room to inspect what was happening. His head was aching, probably because of the welcome party that those kids prepared… It lasted too long; they all went to recharge after midnight. Yawning again, the bot walked through the hallway that connected the quarters with the control room. That was another reason why they went to sleep late: after the children left (they needed to go back home at some point), Ratchet gave them all a tour around the place. Apparently, Agent Fowler pulled some strings, and convinced his superiors of building a base… under the original base. The only way in or out were a couple of elevators (one for vehicles, the other one for humans), and the ground-bridge. The control room was right under the Hangar E, as some sort of homage to their previous time on Earth; only that, this time, they actually had a base, not a makeshift stronghold as the last time they lived inside this human military base. The said hangar was, also, the point of access from the surface, only that, this time, they had a cover: above, at the ground level, the building was usually occupied with different types of aircrafts, in order to make it look like a functional hangar.

Next to the control room was a medical bay, which walls were made of glass, making possible to see what was going on inside, especially because the place was also equipped as a lab. However, if there was a medical emergency, the crystals had a nanotech system that dyed the glasses, making them pitch black from outside. The old medic showed them how to activate it.

Also there were now two training rooms, both of them fully equipped: one had booby-traps and automatic defenses, while the other one was meant for those who liked to train against a teammate. Also there was a set of showers right outside those rooms.

The storage room was the farthest area of the base, and it was located right next to the power-core that kept everything working in this place; especially the bridge, since it was both, for ground and for space travel.

Finally, dragging his feet, Knock Out reached the control room, where Ratchet was talking enthusiastically with the youngest boy, Rafael, while Bulkhead and Wheeljack were like hypnotized by the only girl, Miko. Jack was the only silent one, reading a book in a corner. Arching an eyebrow, the red medic wondered where the others were; and, since he believed that they were still recharging after the party, he decided to do the same, reason why he turned to leave.

"Good morning!" Rafael, who detected his presence greeted him, cheerfully waving his left arm on the air, trying to call his attention. Knock Out sighed, and deduced that it would be impossible for him to sneak back to his quarters now…

"Hey there." He said, trying to look cool. Not that he actually meant it; he was just too used to his persona.

"You slept in." Ratchet commented, sternly, while crossing his arms, and turning his body to see the red bot straight forward.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't know that we still have military schedules, considering that the war is over." The former 'Con retorted, placing his hands at the sides of his hip.

"Just because we're in peace, doesn't mean that we can skip responsibilities; and, since you're going to live with us, you will have to live _like_ us." The old medic stated, while pointing at a mop that was lying against a corner.

"The mop joke?" Knock Out said out loud, looking at the cleaning instrument, before turn his attention back to Ratchet. "You _do_ realize that Bumblebee already teased me with it, right? I'm not falling for it again." He explained, arching an eyebrow and crossing his arms.

"He did?! Oh, scrap!" Wheeljack suddenly commented, now fully interested in the two medics' conversation. "I wanted to see your face while sweeping the floors…"

"What are you talking about?" Miko asked, cocking her head, and lowering her guitar.

"When Bumblebee was a newbie, Ironhide used to play him a joke in which he made the youngster believe that, being the new guy, he had to make his place on the crew. He was so serious while saying it, that the kid always ended cleaning something… Usually things that Ironhide was meant to wash…" Bulkhead explained to the teenager, though the three of them were listening. Then, the green bot chuckled. "As far as I know, it kind of became a tradition among the troopers; you know, like an initiation of some sort…" He added, shrugging.

"Meaning that you went through it too?" Jack asked out loud.

The Wrecker nodded.

"I gotta say that 'Hide kind of enjoyed to play that joke on the greenies…" The green Wrecker commented.

"Yes, but that was Ironhide's style." Ratchet cut into the chat, while walking closer to Knock Out, who stood his ground, believing that the old medical officer was trying to intimidate him. "But, unfortunately for you, Knock Out, I do not share my friend's humor sense. I actually meant my words."

The red medic's eyes widened at that statement.

"Punishment for sleep in. Next time, remember to get up early." The old bot said, while turning to return to his usual position, next to the mainframe.

Growling, the red bot grabbed the mop and went to fill the bucket with water to start cleaning. At his back, he heard Wheeljack laughing out loud… until Ratchet told him to join Knock Out in cleaning duty. It made the red medic grin, especially when the white bot threatened him saying "Not a word…" as he pointed at him with his index finger. However, he grabbed another mop and started to wash the floor side by side with the former Decepticon, who was trying his best not to laugh out loud.

Bumblebee, Arcee and Smokescreen were having a training session at the first training room, the one that had the automatic traps. They were having fun, though the yellow bot knew that he would have to leave soon, because he needed to check on Knock Out. The other two understood, though the femme commented that she couldn't understand why the young warrior was helping such scum back when the yellow bot announced his idea to them; but now, after three months of probation, she had to admit that there was a slight difference in the red bot's attitude. While dodging a paintball, the blue two-wheeler praised her companion's work on the medic; praise that Bumblebee appreciated, while shooting down a mobile target.

"Argh! C'mon! Again?!"

The yellow mech and the blue femme turned, only to see that their friend was rubbing his eyes, struggling with a paintball that hit him on the face. They couldn't help but notice that Smokescreen has been acting strange lately; starting with his eager desire of leaving Cybertron, though they all were excited, the Elite Guard was in a rush. And, today, since they woke up, the blue mech has been distracted and slow, as if he didn't sleep properly…

Sharing a look, both warriors turned off the training program they were running, and went to help their friend, cleaning the paint off his face. Once he was able to open his optics again, Smokescreen thanked Bumblebee and Arcee, before tell them to run the program again. The femme crossed her arms, while frowning.

"Okay, what's going on, Smoke?" The two-wheeler asked, resting the most of her weight on her left foot.

"What? Nothing. Why you think something's wrong?" He wondered, clearly perplexed.

"Uh… Your recent behavior? You were eager to get here, you were distracted all day, and, now, you're acting defensive." Bumblebee commented, arching an eyebrow and placing his hands on the sides of his hip.

"I'm not acting defensive!" Though what he said, the other two simply gestured at him. Cornered, Smokescreen sighed and averted his eyes, while scratching the back of his neck. "A couple days ago, I was told that, since I'm one of the three Elite Guards who survived the war, I'll be named trainer at the Academy…" He explained, shyly. As he kept talking, Bumblebee's and Arcee's eyes widened and their mouths opened in pure surprise. "But I don't know if I'm ready for such responsibility, so I just wanted to get away from home… Just to have time to think."

"What's there to think?!" Arcee yelled, extending her arms towards the blue mech. "Smoke, are you conscious of the great honor it is to be an Elite Guard's trainer?! You totally have to take the job!"

"And who would listen to me? I never was the popular one when I was in training, you know? Actually, I was the worst trainee that the Elite Guard has have to endure in history!" He admitted out loud, feeling embarrassed of it. The fact that he was one of the worst students of the Military Academy was his little dirty secret, and he swore to himself to never say it… In fact, it was the main reason why he rejected the Matrix of Leadership, because he didn't believe to be up to the job. Problem was that he wasn't sure of being the right one to teach either… The blue bot sighed. "Why you think I was so desperate to give you a good impression, guys? I wanted to think that I was more than the lame trainee who got knocked out before the battle started."

By the time he was done sweeping the floor, Knock Out decided to take a shower, and, maybe, buff himself a little. Peaceful silence was all he needed, after being stuck with Wheeljack's blabber for a whole afternoon. Before this experience, he never thought that someone could actually beat Breakdown's record when it came to talk about unimportant matters. Seems he was wrong… As long as they were on "cleaning duty", the white bot kept talking about how he joined the Wreckers, why he did it, when… he probably knew the warrior's whole life by now. Not that he _asked_ to know… However, he strangely felt good of have been treated like that.

The medic chuckled when he remembered the moment in which Bumblebee got out of the training room, only to find him and Wheeljack mopping the floor. Oh, the yellow bot's face was priceless; though they had to admit that Ratchet made them do it. Without ask any further, the police officer gave them their condolences before enter the wash racks that were located right outside the training rooms. Seemed that the young bot also suffered the old medic's authoritarianism before.

"Oh, scrap." The medic thought when he noticed that he had a big scratch on his right leg, probably made when Wheeljack tried to upset him by making him trip with his mop. Now he really had to put his hands in a buffer!

"Hi, Doc-Knock!"

Startled, the red bot looked at a catwalk, where he saw Miko waving at him. Curious, he arched an eyebrow.

"I thought that I told you not to call me that; we're not close enough to start giving us nicknames, fleshy…" He stated, with his typical arrogance, while turning around to see her face to face. "What you want?" He asked, crossing his arms and cocking his head, with an annoyed look.

"Oh, so you will keep up with this 'bad-guy' charade? Really?" The teenager mocked him. She even copied his posture.

Okay, she was as annoying as the Wrecker he spent the day with…

"Who says is a charade? I was a Decepticon, remember? How you know that I'm not playing you all?" He pressed, with a smirk.

"Yeah, right. In other times you would've killed Bumblebee on the first night, parole or not." She retorted, surprising the bot whose optics widened. Was he that easy to read? Really? Maybe the yellow bot was right and he _was_ losing his touch. "Why don't you admit that you like us?" She said, twisting from right to left, while batting her eyelashes, acting cute.

Knock Out held back a laugh.

"I don't."

"Whatever, Doc. But you _will_ come to like us…" She said, winking an eye to him for emphasis. "Say, do you know where 'Bee, 'Cee, Smoke and Jackie are? I gotta go home, and I want to say good bye."

"Down the hallway, at the wash racks." He said, pointing at the place with his left thumb.

"Ok, thanks." Miko said, while starting to walk away, however, she stopped to look back at him with her thumbs up. "See ya' tomorrow, _Doc-Knock_!" Then she ran away.

"Don't call me that!"

But the teenager didn't hear him, since she was already too far.

Though he didn't really liked the nickname, it made him smile to see her mocking him around with it. It reminded him of when Breakdown used to mock him for his name and color (yes, he had to admit that he also found such thing laughable sometimes). It was so long ago that he almost forgot that he was once a happy person. While entering his cabin and private shower, the medic's mind seemed to be fixated in another sequence of his past. Why couldn't he stop remembering? Lately, he seemed unable of thinking about anything else but those old memories that he tried to leave behind… It was almost an addiction…

The sparklings were finally asleep, meaning that he could leave the pediatric facility and go back to his duties. However, as he gently placed a pink femme on her cradle, the medicine student couldn't help but wonder how it would be to become a creator, to actually be responsible of one of these little beings. He was a fully grown adult already, so he believed only natural to start thinking about starting a family; thing that also made him wonder about the family he left back on Velocitron. "I haven't call in a while. I should probably, at least, write a letter… Mother might be worried…" The thought of his carrier trembling, fearing for his safety made him decide to write some words that very night…

An explosion woke him up, making him jump at the consulting room's corner where he sat to take a little nap. This time, the hit sounded closer than before; probably the clinic was the attacker's target, but the soldiers saved them… again. Before been able to sigh in relief, the medic noticed that his patient was trying to get up. Quickly, Knock Out jumped off the box he was sitting on, and pounced onto the femme, trying to strap her to the stretcher, but she was taller and stronger than him. He was never going to restrain her like this; he needed to use all his weight to have a chance. Growling, the Velocitronian climbed onto the surgical table, and placed his knees on top of her legs, while trying to force her wrists to get into the restriction wristbands. He always hated to use them on his patients, but it seemed that there wouldn't be another option with this one; so, once he locked her arms, he got off her to do the same with her legs, right when the twins reentered the room. They seemed dumfounded by the scene.

"Don't just stand there like idiots! Help me out!" Knock Out yelled at them, while struggling with the femme.

"If you even dare to strap me, I'll rip your wings, one by one!" She yelled at them, who shuddered. Clearly, they knew she wasn't kidding. "Let me go, you…!"

"You're recovering from surgery, you can't leave!" The medic cut in, interrupting her speech.

"Nonsense! They need me back at the front!"

"If your injury reopens you won't last a klik!" He retorted, furious. That seemed to get her attention.

"What injury?" She asked, arching an eyebrow.

Knock Out's eyes widened at the question, wondering how it was possible that she didn't remember the opening on her lower torso. Then, he told to himself that she might be suffering of post traumatic event amnesia, so he simply sighed and explained why she was at the clinic. Only then, she seemed to notice the scar on her waist. The cerulean twin told her that she stepped on a buried mine they didn't see, and that a metal shard stabbed her on the lower torso, but she claimed to be alright, and kept fighting. They tried to stop her, but, by the time they landed, a huge 'Con was wrestling with her. That guy used the shard to open the wound that the red mech welded.

"When you fainted, we brought here." He finished his narration.

"What…? Nightglider…" She said, looking at the black armored twin. "…is Daybreak saying the truth?"

"Yes…" He answered, lowering his gaze, until he was watching the floor. "You were leaking too much Energon… I thought we wouldn't make it on time…" Then, he looked at Knock Out. "Fortunately, he was able to attend your wounds."

As her face relaxed, it was evident that the story started to sink into her processor. Finally, she lied down, relaxing. With a deep sigh, the femme finally asked the medic to release her, promising that she wouldn't leave until her wound was healed without any risks of reopening. Nodding, the Velocitronian did as told… receiving a punch on the face.

"Hey! What was that for?!" He complained, while rubbing his cheek.

"For strapping me down!" She retorted, frowning.

"You were trying to abandon the clinic!"

"You didn't have the right to do this!"

"To do what?! Put your welfare upon my own?! In case you didn't notice, if I didn't do it, then you'll have scrapped me in order to get yourself killed at the battlefront!"

"Woah… He's actually _arguing_ with you, Sun…" Daybreak commented with a surprised look on his face. The other twin looked as perplexed as his brother, but he said nothing.

"Shut up!" She snapped at the flyer, before turn towards the medic again.

However, before being able to say anything, she started to groan in pain. Everyone alarmed, but Knock Out simply reconnected her to the stasis lock. Finally she fell asleep because of the anesthesia. Seeing that everything calmed down, the twins stated that they would remain outside in case something else happened, and left the room.

For the first time since she was brought, the medic was able to examine his patient's features. Her whole armor was crimson red, though it had golden detailing in some spots, such as her helm: the piece that covered her forehead was golden, and opened in crests that resembled some sort of crown. There were other two pieces, the ones that fell following her cheeks, framing her face, that were also golden; also, it was hiding her mask.

Her eyebrows and eyelashes were crimson, but the left ones were damaged; they had a scar that went through the eye (undoubtedly it was a battle scar, since she had an identical cut crossing her lips from up-left to down-right). Her shoulders were broad, with crimson plates that had golden detailing, thing that made it look like there was fire coming out of her body. The Autobot insignia was carved on her left shoulder-plate. Her chest and her arms were covered in old scars that went from simple cuts and bumps, to dents, plasma burns, and something that looked like acid. Her legs were also covered in scars, but the major part of the damage seemed to concentrate around her spark-chamber. A line of dark red ran at both sides of her body, with cerulean horizontal lines cutting it at regular distances (her bio-lights). On the right side of her hip, she had attached a reel, which contained a very long and resistant wire that ended in a hook (one of her weapons, no doubt…). Unlike other femmes that he knew, her armor didn't create a short skirt, covering her pelvis, which was as crimson as her chest. Her upper legs had golden stripes that flowed towards her knees, where she had spiky kneepads of the same color. Her lower legs, however, were also crimson, with silver pedes. Knock Out frowned in confusion when he realized that she painted the Autobots' insignia on her feet.

Knock Out opened his optics suddenly agitated, while scanning his surroundings.

He was at the Autobot base, located on Earth. The medic remembered that, after the shower, he cleaned off the scratch on his leg, then reported with Bumblebee, only to, finally, return to his room, where he fell asleep. Grunting, he massaged his temples, while lying on his back. "Sunscorch…" He thought, remembering the name of the femme from his memories. "I need to stop this… I can't think about this… Not again… I can't go through it again…" He repeated to himself… only to feel something warm slid down his cheek.

He quickly wiped away the tear.

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 **That's all for now! What do you think of the story this far?**

 **Now: the next chapter protagonist won't be Knock Out but Ultra Magnus. Yep, we're going back to Cybertron...**

 **See ya then!**


	14. THIRTEEN: Uproar

**Hello again!**

 **Warning: English isn't my mother language, so there might be grammar mistakes. Sorry for that.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own** ** _Transformers_** **franchise, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **THIRTEEN: Uproar**

While the red medic was suffering for his past, Ultra Magnus was suffering because of the present. Now there wasn't just one runaway prisoner, but two of them! That's right, the first escapee broke into another max security prison, freeing a second Seeker; and, to make it worst, now he was well aware of who they were, and the most he thought about it, the less he liked it… The first one, the one who appeared from thin air, was called Skywarp, who acquired the ability to teleport by opening personal ground-bridges after Shockwave experimented with him. The reports described him as an idiot, a jackass, and the most useless Seeker ever, who practically needed to be guided step by step during the fights. Basically, the fact that he was smart enough to break out of his cell was a miracle. Okay, no problem with such guy; it was a matter of time for Skywarp to commit a mistake that would send him back to jail. But now… Now the status quo modified… Because the second Seeker was Thundercracker, Starscream's right hand back on his days as the Energon Seekers' commander. If he was half the soldier that the reports stated, these two were going to be a problem. "But who are they working for?" He questioned, while reading all the files he had about those Seekers. A part of him kept telling him that Skywarp didn't escape by his own, and, if that was the case, there was a third Decepticon that evaded incarceration.

Obviously, he considered the possibility of Starscream preparing his "glorious" return to power, but he quickly discarded it… Well, he did after he talked with Predaking two solar-cycles ago, when he was off work. Nobody in the police department knew about his meeting with the predacon, and he rather keep it that way. Despite the war was over, Ultra Magnus wanted to keep his guard up for a while, to make sure that he was working with the right people. So far, the only one who has earned his trust was the always unbreakable Prowl. The cop has proven himself many times ever since he started working with him… Besides, he was the only one who could keep up with him anyway…

Sighing, the Wrecker called for the middle brother of the famous triplets, and told him to meet at the outskirts of the city; right at the borderline that leaded to the Sea of Rust. Prowl did as told, though he was clearly confused by such strange orders. Ultra Magnus greeted him with his usual serious behavior, before transform into his vehicle-mode, and tell his subordinate that they were going to pay a visit to an informant; then, he also warned him to keep this meeting as a secret. Again, the younger bot had his doubts about his orders, but he followed his superior anyway.

It took a long ride into the desert, but, finally they reached the lands where Predaking and his brothers inhabits. Transforming into his bipedal form, the blue bot gestured Prowl to remain silent and to let him do all the talking. The white and black bot nodded, though he arched an eyebrow… right before seen a giant beast land in front of his chief, and transform into a towering Cybertronian of yellow eyes.

"Here again, Wrecker?" The newcomer questioned, clearly untrusting the commander.

"I apologize for intruding your territory, Predaking, but I need more Intel from you." Ultra Magnus said, unimpressed by the predacon's attitude. Then, he handed a datapad to Predaking. It contained the pictures of Skywarp and Thundercracker. "Have you seen them around? Any of them?" The Wrecker asked, making the other one focused on the images.

He seemed to be trying to make memory, as if there was something bugging him. Finally, he nodded.

"I don't know anything about the blue one, but we have seen the other one wandering around the Sea of Rust a long time ago." He said, returning the datapad to its owner. "He seemed to be looking for something."

"Something? Something like what?"

Predaking shrugged.

"We ignore it. There's nothing at that area, and my brothers and I control the only Energon deposits in this desert."

"Can you take us to where you saw him?" Ultra Magnus asked, receiving a frown and a growl as answer. He wanted them to leave. "Predaking, his name is Skywarp, a Seeker. He used to obey Starscream's command, and he escaped prison months ago; we never saw him again, though the Energon is disappearing without explanation at the warehouses. Any information or clue to find him, is priceless."

"Where you want me to take you it's deep inside the wastelands. You won't last long out there… Not with the storms of rust that has been hitting the zone for the past four days…" Predaking said, crossing his arms.

"Look, your job is to protect your people, my job is to protect mine; someday you'll understand that you will need to make peace with us, in order to live freely as you wish; but, for now, help me out. Skywarp is a threat for both of our races, especially because I'm sure he's not working alone." The commander tried to reason with him.

"How you know that?"

"He's not exactly the brightest light in town… Someone else is pulling the strings here, and, if I ever dream to find out who, I need to interrogate this moron."

Prowl wasn't sure what part of the chief's speech convinced the predacon, but he agreed to show them the place, at the same time he transformed, right before fly away. Seeing this, Ultra Magnus gestured his subordinate to keep up with him. Then, both Autobots transformed and drove behind Predaking.

It took them around three hours of drive before the predacon decided to land. During that time, the wild wind threw waves and waves of rust against them, peeling them from their paint; more times than one, the police officer wondered if they shouldn't return when the storm was over, but he preferred not to say it out loud. The commander was determined to find out the truth at any cost. Finally, they found out the place.

"I doubt you'll find something. As I told you before, this storms has been hitting these lands for days." Predaking commented, transforming again.

"Maybe. Maybe not." Ultra Magnus yelled to make his voice understandable over the wind's roar. "We know the way out. Go back with the others."

"I would wish you luck, but I doubt it would help your cause…" Predaking said before fly away.

"What did he mean by that?" Prowl asked, covering his mouth with his mask, at the same time he protected his optics with his hand.

"It means that he thinks we'll fail." The blue bot commented. "Let's prove him wrong." He added, turning around to scan the area for any usable trace.

Took them hours, but, finally, they found an old track of spilled Energon. Now they knew why Skywarp flew all the way there: he was looking for someone… and, considering the evidence, he found it. The trace disappeared all the sudden after a big puddle, meaning that someone opened a bridge for them. It confirmed it: the Seeker wasn't working alone. But who would help him, or need his help? "Scrap! I've been a fool!" He told to himself, at the same time he ordered Prowl to transform and drove out the desert (not before pick a sample of the spilled Energon). The answers they were seeking, they wouldn't find them there… but in Kaon city, the old Decepticon capital.

How could he forgot? That night, Starscream wasn't the only one who got away: nobody has heard of Shockwave ever again either. If he was the third person involved in this, their troubles were bigger than he originally believed.

Prowl was nervous, though he tried not to show it. Despite he fought in the war, he was never assigned outside Iacon; so he never knew Kaon city, except for the things he heard from other soldiers who served there. This was going to be his first incursion, and, now, he knew that he had to tell his superior about his inexperience about their surroundings; but the Wrecker told him that there was a first time for everything, and kept driving. The police officer considered to call for his older brother, X-Brawn, and ask him about his few days of battle at the Decepticons' city's borderlines; but he finally discarded the idea, because nothing that his brother could tell would actually prepare him for it. X-Brawn and Side Burn were bots of action, the kind of guys who jump into the battlefield before have a plan; he, on the other hand, was the kind of guy who first plans it all, then acts. He liked to believe that he was the most responsible of the three, though he was aware that his big brother still hold that title, since he practically raised them… Sighing, Prowl decided to take the risk and not call for help. Besides, he was with the famous Ultra Magnus, the one who made his name as Optimus's most trusted commander, and, also, the only Autobot who dared to fight side by side with the fearsome Dinobots; all that, without mention his time as the Wreckers' leader.

No. They would be fine… probably… But, as they approached the walls that were once the doom of many Autobots, Prowl couldn't help but gulp, thinking about the half hundred things that could go wrong once they entered the, now, abandoned city. There was only one way in, and it was through a narrow bridge that covered a deep pit that surrounded the town. Ultra Magnus transformed into his bipedal form once they reached that point, and inspected the surroundings.

Deciding that it was safe, the commander transformed again and drove into Kaon, followed closely by Prowl. They covered a lot of distance before come to a halt. The younger bot saw the ghastly silhouettes of the buildings that raised around them, wondering how many slaves used to live here before the civil war spread… He couldn't deny that he understood why Megatron despised Cybertron's society; after all, the former gladiator grew up right here, and was forced to entertain the riches by putting his life in danger over and over again. However, he would never forgive him for putting their whole race in danger, just because the Primes noticed that their best option was another bot.

Finding a good cover, the blue truck transformed once more, and told Prowl to do the same. The younger cop did as told and refuged himself under an arc's shadow, next to his superior.

"Permission to talk, sir?" The white and black bot asked, when he started to see where this recon was going to take him. The Wrecker nodded, though he didn't look at his companion, but his surroundings. "What are we doing here?"

"There's only one place in Cybertron where we could find the information we require to understand what's going on; and, that place, is Darkmount." Ultra Magnus explained, while pointing at the dark tower that raised upon the city's buildings.

"But it has been abandoned ever since the war ended. There's no guarantee that its mainframe is still functional, sir."

"If things are as I think, trust me… It's operational." The commander said, finally looking straight into his subordinate's eyes. The younger bot sighed and nodded, deciding to trust the older one. "Now follow me, remain quiet, and play low. Something tells me we aren't the only ones in here…"

Then, choosing the darkest path, Ultra Magnus leaded the way towards the former Decepticon fortress, where Megatron's throne was located. Fortunately, they avoided to be seen by undesirable eyes, and, also, dodged the booby-traps that were meant to protect the tower. However, now that they were inside the fortress, the real danger was barely starting.

This place was Megatron's domain, his bunker, his stronghold. No Autobot set foot on Darkmount during the war, and the ones who tried to reach it, never passed the walls surrounding the city… And now, they were lurking its hallways, searching for clues that would enlighten whatever was happening behind their backs; Prowl, weapons ready, was questioning his sanity as he followed Ultra Magnus, who was looking for any access to the fortress mainframe. At some point he wondered if they shouldn't ask for back-up, but the commander said that it was too risky; and besides ―he added―, the more they were, the bigger chances they had of being discovered. "Black op. Great… I'm a newbie on those too…" The cop thought, biting his lip, while shaking his head slightly. This was no time to be a greenie. He needed to pull himself together and cover his commander.

Suddenly, Ultra Magnus took cover behind a corner, and gestured his subordinate to do the same. Once they did, the younger bot heard heavy footsteps and two voices that were heading towards the door located a few feet from their current location. Soon enough the two newcomers were visible, and they were no one else but their fugitives: Skywarp and Thundercracker.

"I'm telling ya', if he keeps treating me like his fragging slave, I'm gonna throw him outta window…" Skywarp complained, while gesturing as if he were pushing something. He had black wings, shoulders, helm, forearms, hip, kneepads, and feet; while his chest, arms, and lower legs were purple. Unlike Starscream, none of them had high-heels, and their bodies were actually masculine.

"And I will help you to do it. I can't stand him either…" Thundercracker commented, massaging his neck. His voice was deeper than the other Seeker; probably he was older, and, also, bigger. His wings were cerulean with red borders; same pigmentation that his chest, forearms, hip and lower legs had; his helm, shoulders and kneepads were black.

"If he didn't agreed to help the boss, I would've terminated that guy, 'Cracker. Make no mistake on that…" The purple one snarled, shaking his head in disgust, at the same time he opened the door's lock.

"Hey, you still might have your chance. We both know he doesn't care about any of us, so, once we're done with him, you can always… _farewell_ him…" The other one said, maliciously.

The comment made Skywarp laugh out loud.

"Oh, how I missed ya'!" He said, patting his friend's shoulder, before disappear behind the doorframe, next to Thundercracker.

Once they were gone, the two Autobots got out of their hiding.

"Seems you were right, sir. There's a third Decepticon involved." Prowl commented, stepping out from behind his superior, while looking at him.

"No… It's far more complicated than that…" Ultra Magnus said, while walking towards the same door the Seekers used. He opened it with the code the other two typed, and, readying his gun, turned to look at the younger bot. "We need to follow them. Come on!" He ordered, before enter the corridor, followed closely by his subordinate.

The Seekers were walking slowly, as if they didn't feel excited of reaching their destination; but it was good for the two bots that were following them, because it meant that they wouldn't lose them from sight. However, it also meant that they had to be extra cautious, because if they were too noisy, or made a wrong move, the 'Cons would realize about their presence. As the runaway convicts roamed towards the tower's top, they kept talking about the guy they were working for; and, now, Ultra Magnus had no doubts about its identity: these two were under Shockwave's orders. But, why? What would a former chief scientist want from a couple of Seekers, who clearly would rather kill him than obey him? Yet, there was one more thing that made him feel uneasy, and it was the mention of a fourth Decepticon… And, if his gut was right, they were in a lot of trouble…

Finally, those two opened the door that leaded to the top, and the Autobots hurried to pass before it closed. Then, they hid behind the columns and rubble that there was. "Seems the predacons redecorated the place…" Ultra Magnus thought when he saw the claws' markings that covered the walls.

At the other side of the room, a tall silhouette was standing in front of a large screen. It was undoubtedly Shockwave. The scientist turned to greet the Seekers, who simply stopped walking, and crossed their arms; they owed this person no respect, so they weren't going to show any to him. The one-eyed bot seemed to notice their attitude, but he didn't say anything. He needed them as workers. He couldn't afford to shoo them away.

"Did you bring it?" He questioned.

The Seekers exchanged a look, before Thundercracker simply sighed, gesturing Skywarp to surrender the item. The purple flyer took out the piece of a generator and threw it towards Shocwave, who caught it midair.

"Excellent."

"We fulfilled our part of the deal, Shockwave…" The cerulean Seeker snarled.

"We want results." Skywarp added, placing his hands at the sides of his hip.

"I require something to speed up the process." The scientist admitted, though he didn't seemed to be talking about his experiments.

"And here we go again…" The purple flyer sighed, dropping his arms at the sides of his body, at the same time he turned to look at Thundercracker, who was massaging his forehead.

"And what would it be this time? More Energon? A spaceship's cooling system? Primus's heart?" He complained, admitting that they were behind the robbery wave that hit the city.

"None of above. The body's damage was extensive. It requires professional medical attention." Shockwave stated, before turn around and search through the Decepticons' profiles. Finally the picture of a mech was deployed on the screen. "Knock Out, our medical officer, was arrested shortly after the war ended. Bring him."

"If they learn about Knock Out's betrayal…" Ultra Magnus thought, growling, knowing that, once those three finds out about the medic's probation, they would not only kill the red bot, but Bumblebee as well. He had no option but to try to arrest those three right there and then. Gesturing to Prowl, the commander ordered to attack.

Startled, the Decepticons took some damage before fight back. Thundercracker made a sign to the other Seeker, who nodded, before open fire against the Autobots, who quickly took cover. Prowl threw himself behind a terminal, from where he started to answer the attack; only to realize that he got separated from the commander, who was now taking heavy fire at the other side of the room, also behind a terminal. The Wrecker didn't seem to mind the odds, he just kept shooting at the Decepticons… right when he noticed that there were now two of them instead of three…

"Where…?" He couldn't finish the question that he felt something hitting him from behind, forcing him to get out of his cover.

"'Miss me?" Skywarp mocked the blue bot, while pinning him against the floor, placing his foot on the commander's chest, at the same time he aimed at Ultra Magnus head.

"Sir!" Prowl tried to go on his rescue, but, as soon as he popped out his head, Shockwave almost hit him. They couldn't accomplish this mission, not on their own… He needed to call out for help now that he still was able. "S.O.S., here officer Prowl at Darkmount! I need back-up! Does anybody copy me?!" Before repeat the message, Thundercracker's cannon's barrel was right in front of his face. In cooperation, he shut down the commlink, and rose his hands.

"Good bot." The Seeker mocked him. "On your feet, _officer_." He ordered, gesturing with his head. "We got them."

"Dispose of them before…!"

A green light filled the room as a ground-bridge opened. Three silhouettes came out of it, three Autobots that heard Prowl's distress call. Taking advantage of their captors' distraction, both, Ultra Magnus and his subordinate, got free from the Seekers' grip and reopened fire against the 'Cons; next to them, the three newcomers also opened fire against the bots with red optics. Noting that they were cornered, Shockwave made a sign to Skywarp, who grabbed him and Thundercracker, before disappear into a ground-bridge. Seeing that they were trying to run away, one of the newcomers tried to shot down the purple Seeker; but he missed, and his shot simply broke a screen. "Scrap…" He thought, while taking off the red googles that were covering his optics.

Relaxed, Ultra Magnus turned to see who helped them, recognizing only two of the trio: the first one was a lieutenant named Jazz. He was much shorter than the Wrecker, and his paintjob was white with blue and red streaks. Next to him was the famous (or infamous, depending of the point of view) Drift, a former Decepticon who switched sides when he ended up befriending a colony of Neutrals, who showed him the destruction that his faction was bringing upon Cybertron. The white and orange bot was relentless, and strict about discipline. Ultra Magnus never met him before, though he was well aware of his reputation; however, he wouldn't have been his first call in case of an emergency… But, he had to admit, Prowl did the right thing sending an S.O.S. They wouldn't have last long under the heavy fire they were taking. The third was a green and black mech.

The commander shook hands with the lieutenant.

"It's been a long time, Jazz." He said, with a respectful nod.

"Indeed, Magnus." The white bot conceded, before let go. Then, he placed his hands at the sides of his hip, and cocked his head, with a smirk on the lips. "Last time we met, you were saving Grimlock's aft. I guessed that you left the planet after making sure that guy was fine."

"It was… more complicated than that…" The blue bot commented, averting his eyes. Then, he looked at the white and orange bot, who was standing behind Jazz. "Drift." He greeted him, nodding.

"Commander." The other one answered.

"And you are…?" Ultra Magnus asked, looking at the green and black bot. He was a little taller than Jazz, and was holding two long pistols in his hands.

"I'm called Crosshairs." He said, shrugging. "I have good aim…"

"So, what the heck are you doing up here, Magnus? And, most importantly, what was _Shockwave_ doing here?" Jazz asked, deciding that it was time to go down to businesses.

"In the past two months, two Seekers ran away from their prison cells; and they happens to be Starscream's star soldiers: Skywarp and Thundercracker. An informant told me that he saw the former wandering around in the Sea of Rust, and I decided that I would find more answers here in Darkmont that back at the police department." He explained calmly, before cross his arms and frown. "I had my suspects that the Seekers weren't working alone, and the fact that we ran into Shockwave confirms it."

"M… I see." The lieutenant mumbled, scratching his chin. "Well, we'll help you to sweep the tower. They might still be around here somewhere." He said, before turn to see his companions. "Drift, Crosshairs, split up and search for any trace of the 'Cons." He ordered to his companions.

The two soldiers nodded and left the room.

"Prowl, remain in here and try to decipher what that mad scientist was working on." Ultra Magnus ordered to his subordinate.

"Yes, sir."

"Come with me, Jazz; we have a bunch of 'Cons to hunt…" The blue bot said, while deploying his plasma cannon.

As they walked down the dark corridors, the white bot asked the Wrecker to be fully honest, and to tell him what was truly going on. The blue bot sighed and dropped his arms, admitting that he heard the Seekers talk about a fourth Decepticon inhabiting Darkmount fortress… and that he feared to know who it was…

Prowl was good decrypting files, though he was no clerk, he was decent; but this database was proving to be a challenge… Whatever that cyclops was working on, he wanted to keep it as a secret. The more he typed trying to make the codes make sense, the more its message seemed to evade him. This mainframe was programmed to elude the police decrypting programs; he was going nowhere, he needed a professional. Sighing, Prowl took one of his flash-drives (always be prepared for anything), and plugged it into the terminal to download the data. It was a big package, it would take a while…

Suddenly, someone pushed him from behind, making the bot hit his head against the screen that shattered with the impact. Then, and before he was able to recompose, his attacker grabbed him by the door-wings, throwing the white and black bot several feet away from the mainframe; once Prowl was starting to regain balance, he received a kick on the back of his knees and a punch on the back of his helm. Now, he was face-down, lying on the cold ground, with someone's knee stabbing him on his lower back, and a cannon aiming at his head.

"Hey, Magnus! I found something!" Jazz called the Wrecker to what seemed to be the medical room of the tower, considering its equipment.

However, the blue bot was more interested in the stretcher, which showed traces of fresh Energon, next to the transfusion equipment, which tubes were now lying helplessly on the floor, spilling the precious liquid.

"Seems they left in a rush…" The lieutenant commented, while inspecting the surrounding.

"They don't want us to get our hands on their patient." Ultra Magnus said, while grabbing a datapad.

"And who you think it is?" The white bot asked.

"Who else?" While saying that, the Wrecker threw the pad to his companion, who gasped in surprise. Clearly he thought that the guy was terminated. "Call your team. If he's still here, Skywarp and Thundercracker will be extremely dangerous."

Jazz agreed with that, so he called for Drift and Crosshairs, intending to make them report… but all he got was static. None of them were answering the calls. After the third try, the lieutenant glanced towards his friend, who, understanding the situation, opened a comlink with his subordinate. Their personal frequencies were completely jammed, but, maybe, the police one would work. Luckily, the call connected…

Prowl, meanwhile, was being interrogated by his captor, Skywarp, whose only question was about Knock Out's whereabouts. The police officer refused to talk and remained silent, no matter how hard the Seeker hit him, nor how much he threatened with shoot his head off. However, when his commlink pinged, indicating that it got activated, he knew that it was his chance to get out of this alive.

"You're really an idiot… You'll spent the rest of your life in stasis for attacking a police officer…" He hissed, looking at the purple flyer from above his right shoulder.

"Please. I was meant to be kept on stasis for the rest of my life, and, yet, here we are…" Skywarp laughed. Then he leaned down, until his mouth was next to Prowl's audio-receptor. "Now, let's try again: where's Knock Out?" He questioned, pressing his gun against the younger bot's helm.

"Freeze!"

Skywarp had only a nanoklik to jump and avoid getting shot, however, a second projectile did hit him in the shoulder. Grunting, the Seeker checked his wound before look at his attackers, noticing that Ultra Magnus and Jazz were coming his way with their guns unfolded. "Scrap!" he thought, before glance at the police officer who was starting to get up, weakly, clearly dizzy because of the attack he received. Grinning, recognizing it as a chance to scape, the Decepticon shot Prowl in the waist, opening a huge leak.

The other two warriors saw in horror how their comrade started to bleed out, while their enemy disappeared in thin air. Ultra Magnus ran next to his subordinate.

"Jazz, call for a ground-bridge! He needs to go to a clinic ASAP!" The Wrecker ordered, while trying to stop the leak.

"S-sir…" Prowl stuttered, feeling weak because of the loss of Energon. He knew that he was kliks away from fainting.

"Save strength, soldier." The blue bot ordered, calmly; though he was at the verge of panic. The bot was losing too much fluid, if he couldn't stop the bleed somehow… No. He was going to save him. He had to save this kid! He wouldn't let him get terminated because of him, and his personal quests!

"Mainframe…" The white and black bot insisted. "…Flash…drive…"

Prowl heard Jazz's and Magnus's voices fading, right before a green light appeared in the room; then… Then everything turned black.

In the lowest level of Darkmount tower, Crosshairs was about to punch his comlink, which was completely jammed. He spent large minutes unsuccessfully trying to communicate with his partners, and he wasn't very patient. Finally, he decided that the fortress must've been transmitting some sort of disruption signal, and desisted. "Ugh… Just what I needed: to be on my own in Creepyland…" He thought, while gripping the riffle that he had in hands. The hallways were almost pitch black, making him have fantasies about terrorcons and stuff; and the intense silence wasn't exactly helping to his itchy fingers, which he had readied to shoot at anything that moved and didn't look like an Autobot…

"Chill out, Crosshairs… You're acting like a sparkling. Nothing to worry. It's just another fragging creepy hallway; it's not like this one is the first one you explore…" He was telling to himself, trying to calm down.

A soft groan drew the warrior's attention towards a dimmed lightered room. "What the…?" Arching an eyebrow, Crosshairs placed his googles in front of his eyes, and activated the targeting system. Plastering himself to the wall, the green bot peeked inside the room; but he didn't see anybody's spark signature… Humming and frowning, the soldier decided to fully enter the room to scout the place.

After surrounding a bunch of Energon boxes, Crosshairs caught a glimpse of Shockwave who was typing some codes into a terminal.

"Halt, Decepticon scum!" He yelled, while popping out of his hideaway, targeting the scientist with his gun. The other bot merely turned to look at the Autobot, but didn't seem to care about his presence at all. Furrowing, Crosshairs took another step closer to Shockwave. "Put your hands in the air, now!"

The Decepticon scuffed, but didn't comply.

Before being able to repeat his order, another groan called the warrior's attention, who turned right on time to see a missile coming his way…

Jazz found his men minutes later, both of them were lying on the floor with burning marks on their heads. Fortunately, they were alive; however, when he reached the room where Crosshairs was, the lieutenant knew that the situation just escalated to a whole new level…

In the depths of Darkmount, Jazz found the wrecks of a space-bridge…

* * *

 **That's all for now!**

 **See ya!**


	15. FOURTEEN: Adjusting

**Hello again! How're you doing?**

 **Thanks for the reviews!**

 **I'm going to upload this next two chapters together because, again, I don't know why I wrote them apart.**

 **Warning: English isn't my mother language, so there might be some grammar mistakes. Sorry.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own** ** _Transformers_** **franchise, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **FOURTEEN: Adjusting**

His eyes opened slowly, while a strange dizziness made it hard for him to focus his sight; yet, little by little, he recognized that the shiny rectangles that he was seeing were the lights of a clinic's ceiling. After a minute, he noticed that his dizziness was because of the anesthesia, and that the stasis-lock tubes were still attached to his body, though the dose might've been reduced, since he was awakening. "Where…?" Slowly, he moved his head to the side, groaning because of the pang of pain that pierced his torso. It made him remember the attack…

In a pair of chairs, next to the white wall that was at his right, his brothers, X-Brawn and Side Burn, were recharging. Ultra Magnus might've contacted them after the attack; he hoped that they didn't worried too much… Especially X-Brawn. His older brother usually acted like the responsible adult for the three of them, running to the rescue whenever he or Side Burn messed things up. Though the youngest wasn't any different: at the first sign of one of his brothers being in trouble, the small and impulsive warrior would jump into the battle in order to keep his family alive.

Suddenly, the elder brother snored so loud that he woke up the youngest one, who was resting his head on X-Brawn's shoulder-plate. The blue armored bot yawned, before slap his brother's arm, awakening him as well.

"Damn it, bro… It's like you have rocks in your tank…" Side Burn grunted, while rubbing his eyes.

"I never told ya' to stay with me, Side." X-Brawn retorted, while stretching his back.

"Don't fight…" Prowl said in a whisper, earning his brothers' attention.

"You're awake!" The blue bot celebrated, jumping off his seat, and running towards the stretcher where his brother was lying.

"You worried us, Prowl." The green one said, concern written all over his face.

"I'm sorry…" The cop managed to say, while looking to his brothers' faces; both of them were relieved of seeing him conscious. "How long did I…?"

"Two solar-cycles." X-Brawn informed.

"Ultra Magnus called to tell us what happened." Side Burn added, clearly trying to keep his emotions under control. However, in the end, he bit his lip and averted his eyes, only to finally explode because of his brother's reckless behavior: "What the frag were you doing in Darkmount?! Don't you know how dangerous is that place?! Nobody goes there!" He reprehended the white and black bot, who chuckled.

"Since when are you the voice of reason?"

"Since you decided to be the idiotic brother!" The youngest bot retorted. "Do you have the last idea of the kind of things that the Decepticons left behind at Kaon's pits?! What would you do if an Insecticon suddenly decided to make you his dinner?!"

Smiling weakly, Prowl stroked his little brother's helm, receiving a pout as answer.

"Stop treating me as a sparkling! I'm an adult already, Prowl!" He complained.

"That's what you say, but you never act like one." X-Brawn commented, chuckling; then, he turned towards his other brother. "But he does have a point there. What were you doing at Darkmount?"

Ultra Magnus was on his way out of the Council's tower, where he received a reprehension for his reckless behavior, and he was about to be suspended from his duties, if it wasn't because they were lacking of cops. "Old rusty bags of slag…" The commander thought as he drove back towards the police department. He didn't have any problems about being punished because of his mistakes, he didn't mind the yelling he received, and he wouldn't have minded to write a full report about what happened at Kaon. Damn, he would've written a dozen reports about the events that took place during his little trip to Darkmount, if they wanted! But he couldn't forgive them for not listening to his warnings! He almost pleaded them to allow him to send a small contingent to recapture those 'Cons! But they didn't care about those guys. How couldn't they care?! Shockwave was one of Megatron's most trusted officers, and a wanted runaway because of his unethical methods; they couldn't just let him get away! He couldn't let him get away… Not after all that one-eyed jerk has done to his men, starting with Grimlock and the other Dinobots… He reduced those men to beasts. "I need to warn them…" The blue bot thought, while speeding up. He had no time to waste…

During his disappearance act at Darkmount, Skywarp learnt Knock Out's location… and legal status…

Meanwhile, on Earth, team Prime was having a sparring session, and they decided to include the red medic.

"Agh! Get your aft… off my face!"

At first, when the Autobots asked him to join their training session Knock Out kind of felt happy, because it meant that they were starting to trust him; so he accepted the invitation, and followed the others into the training room. Once inside, the bots stablished the rules: they would fight in teams of three; no weapons would be allowed, and the last bot standing would bring victory to his team. Of course, Bumblebee aligned himself with Knock Out, due to their legal situation; so they already were two and needed someone else to complete their team. Smokescreen joined them, reason why the other team was composed by Arcee, Bulkhead and Wheeljack. Needless to say that the former Decepticon found such distribution more than just unfair… But he decided to play by their rules and said nothing.

Though now, given his current position, he was really hoping that he said something sooner…

As soon as the spar started, he decided that his best option was to aim for Arcee, since she was the smallest one in the other team; but he got intercepted by Bulkhead, and ended up having to wrestle with the Wrecker. The result? He was in a very awkward position, in which the green bot was sitting on top of him. A part of Knock Out knew that he should worried for his inner systems, which were at the verge of collapse due to the pressure that his opponent was creating on his armor, but there was another part of his mind which was more concerned about the fact that Bulkhead's butt was on his chest…

"Ugh! Enough of this!" He thought before stab the warrior's bottom with his claws. The pain made the poor green bot jump off the medic, who struggled to collect himself from the floor. Though their race didn't need to breathe, the red bot found himself venting heavily.

"As a doctor, I suggest you to go on a diet…" He complained, while massaging his mistreated husk.

"Heh, heh… Big protoform?" Bulkhead laughed, while patting his midsection. "Okay, time out is over. Let's roll!"

While the others were too busy throwing themselves around the room, Ratchet was standing at the room's entrance, monitoring his friends, and making sure that they respected the rules. If anybody started to show signs of being too tired, or of being hurt, he would immediately stop the exercise. Since the children weren't with them (Miko was back on Japan, Rafael was at school, and Jack was at the public library, studying for a mid-term), it was one of those rare occasions in which the bots had their base all for themselves. Deep inside, Ratchet had to admit that he didn't exactly enjoyed those days of solitude when he was the only Autobot remaining on Earth; though he would never admit it, the times when the children weren't with him were boring. The silence was too loud to be bearable, even for him. The old medic couldn't help but chuckle at the thought. When he first met the children, he couldn't wait to leave the planet and leave the humans behind; yet, now, he couldn't stand to be kept in the silence, knowing that the kids were nowhere around. He became too attached to them.

The sound of tiny footsteps called the medic's attention, whose gaze met Agent Fowler's silhouette as the mid-age man entered the room, using the catwalks that he prepared for their human friends.

The governmental agent smirked at the scene, while resting his weight onto the security riel.

"Sparring session?" He asked, in an amusement tune.

"Just for fun." Ratchet answered, while slightly shrugging. "Since the children aren't here, we require other ways of entertainment."

"I see." The man chuckled. It always amazed him the fondness that the bots had with those kids, and vice versa. Even Ratchet learned to love the children… on his own way, of course, but he did. "So, how is our guest doing?" He asked, serious, as his eyes met the red medic, who was in a hand-to-hand with the green Wrecker.

"He's… adjusting to his new environment." The old bot answered, looking at the former Decepticon. "I must say, Agent Fowler, that he is doing some progress. Bumblebee might be right about Knock Out after all…" He added, looking at the federal agent.

Meanwhile, Arcee was trapped between Smokescreen's arms, twisting, trying to get free; but it was hopeless, and none on her team was available to rescue her (not that she wanted to be rescued as some sort of damsel in distress, but given the circumstances…). Looking around, Wheeljack was too entertained with Bumblebee, and Bulkhead was having trouble with Knock Out. The red medic was too fast for the big green bot, so he was simply wearing him off. "Seriously, guys? You're Wreckers! They're a medic and a scout!" She thought, seeing the scene. Ok, she could understand that Wheeljack was having trouble with Bumblebee, the kid was an excellent warrior; but, Bulkhead? C'mon! Knock Out wasn't the fiercest guy in the room!

When the Elite Guard increased his pressure onto the femme's frame, Arcee remembered her current situation, as she started to struggle once again. At a moment, it felt as if the blue mech would give in; but it was a trap, for as soon as he recovered, Smokescreen trapped her against the floor. Since he was larger than her, it was a mere matter of time for the femme to give up the fight.

After hearing her surrender, Smokescreen let her go before run to help the yellow bot to over-muscle Wheeljack. Though the Wrecker was concentrated in the former scout, he didn't break a sweat to reject the incoming attack from the blue bot, who blew up his surprise element by screaming out loud at the same time he launched himself towards the white bot. Before he noticed, the white mech turned around and connected a punch onto the Elite Guard's chest, leaving him out of the game.

Pouting, Smokescreen dragged himself next to Arcee, who was sitting in a bunch of boxes, next to Ratchet, and under the catwalk where Fowler was watching the training session. The blue mech waved at the human before drop himself onto a box, next to the femme; then he looked at the four remaining bots, and got amazed… Though they've fought him many times in the past, this was the first time he saw how fast the red medic was. Every single time that Bulkhead took impulse to try to punch the red bot, Knock Out gracefully jumped off the way seconds before get hit.

Bulkhead was heavily panting already, and Knock Out didn't seem to be even starting to get tired. In fact, with every jump he seemed to become faster, though the red medic knew that such thing was unlikely; it was an illusion created by the green bot's exhaustion. After gracefully leap over the Wrecker's wide shoulders, only to land firmly on his feet behind him, the red bot cocked his head to the right, looking at his opponent with a little sympathy. The larger bot wouldn't take much more… Maybe he should let him connect, at least, one hit; only to not completely humiliate him, and to allow him to safe some of his pride. On second thought, one punch of that guy would sent him flying up to Cybertron's moons; so he decided to simply keep dodging Bulkhead's attempts of get him, until he were too tired to keep going… A sudden noise behind him made Knock Out look over his shoulder, noticing that Bumblebee just connected a kick with Wheeljack's chin. Dumfounded, the white bot gave some unsteady steps backwards, before come to a halt, and shake his head, trying to clean his thoughts.

Then, the yellow mech noticed that there were only four bots still standing, and, grinning, he ran next to the red medic, who, once again, leaped out of Bulkhead's reach.

"Hey!" Bumblebee said, trying to gain Knock Out's attention. The red bot looked at the warrior, questioning him. "Have you ever played 'Chicken'?" The yellow bot wondered, with a big smirk.

The quizzical look on Knock Out's eyes, suddenly turned into a bright wide mischievous smile, as he understood the reference. Nodding at the warrior's implication, and putting himself on position, the red medic stood still; both bots stood back-to-back, waiting… Eventually, both Wreckers ran towards the smaller mechs. The Velocitronian and the Cybertronian stood their ground as long as they could, until Bumblebee decided that it was time; however, Knock Out told him to wait a bit longer… A bit longer…

"Now! Jump!" The red bot suddenly yelled, while pulling his companion out of the way.

Before being able to stop, Bulkhead and Wheeljack stomped into each other, losing the fight; meanwhile, the other two bots looked at the scene with an amusement look on the eyes. In the background, Smokescreen burst out in laughs, at the same time he got on his feet and ran towards his teammates, hugging them once he was close enough, celebrating their victory. Though Bumblebee joined his friend in the joy; Knock Out, although surprised and startled at the sudden shown of affection, immediately asked the blue bot to release him, saying that he wasn't a fan of physical contact.

Despite he didn't buy it, the Elite Guard complied the medic's wishes, and removed his arm from the red bot's shoulders.

With the sparring session finalized, the bots walked out of the training room, towards the washracks; all but Knock Out, who preferred to clean himself up on his private shower, back at his quarters. Bumblebee shrugged, and said that it was alright, but reminded him that they were going to pick up Raf afterwards; receiving a nod, and a "Yeah, yeah… I know…" as answer. Then, the yellow bot disappeared next to the other three mechs into the washracks that were located outside the training rooms. Arcee went to the showers designated for femmes (yup, Ratchet thought about every little detail when he decided to build a proper base).

As the warriors left the room, Ratchet uploaded the training results to the mainframe; still in company of Fowler, who seemed to be troubled by something. The old medic glanced towards the man, before sigh and, going back to his report, ask the human what the trouble was.

"It's nothing." The governmental agent stated, though it was clearly a lie.

"Is it about Knock Out?" The bot pressed, arching an eyebrow, looking straight into the man's eyes.

"Well… Yeah. I've been watching him ever since 'Bee brought him, and I'm still trying to figure that guy out." He said, scratching the back of his neck, averting his eyes as if he was thinking about some riddle. "He acts… weirdly. One minute, he's all gloomy and silent, and the next one, he's actually behaving as if he was another Autobot. I just don't get it…" Fowler stated, crossing his arms and looking straight to the medic, who sighed.

"Agent Fowler, you must understand his situation…" The bot said, massaging his forehead. "He's trying his best, but, as I said, he's still adjusting."

"Meaning…?"

"As long as the war was ongoing, Knock Out did what he must in order to survive among the Decepticons. And, now that he is trying to fit in among us, who once were his enemies, his previous behavior is passing its toll." Ratchet sighed once more. "Agent Fowler, I've been a medic for too long, and I've seen many different ways of trauma; so believe in my experience when I tell you that Knock Out is now facing with his psychological wounds."

"What? Wait, are you saying that Mr. Narcissus Reincarnated has a conscience?" The human wondered, in total disbelief, while pointing with his thumb in the direction where the red medic disappeared.

Ratchet nodded, serious.

"Though I'm not Rung, nor have the authority to state it in a medical way; I can say that he's now dealing with his past… and he is healing, at his own rhythm. It's for everyone's best to allow him to treat this wounds in peace. If we push him too much, he might close himself inside of his bubble again, and the process, then, would have to start all over again…" Then, he looked at the screen where he was typing a few minutes ago. "Actually, I believe that his uncharacteristically hyperbolic narcissism is, in fact, related to the bubble I mentioned."

"You mean… like a comfort zone?" Fowler asked, arching an eyebrow.

"More like a refuge." Ratchet retorted, looking at the human.

While the head medical officer was discussing Knock Out's mental health with Agent Fowler, the red bot was already driving away with Bumblebee, who was leading the way towards Jasper. As usual on those lands, it was a warm day, with a bright clean sky, and a scorching sun; however, there was a soft breeze that made the weather really pleasant. Though he would never admit it in public, the Aston Martin couldn't help but feel grateful of being able of return to this rock. The silence was interrupted by the sound of the Camaro taking in a deep vent; thing that made the other car chuckle, thinking that it was only expectable of someone like his companion to show such happiness towards their current environment.

"What?" Bumblebee wondered, but he didn't receive an answer. "Oh, c'mon! Don't tell me _you_ didn't miss Earth at all, because I'm not buying it! I bet you were excited about feeling the road, the dust, the air…!"

"The bugs…" Knock Out interrupted his companion, as he felt another invertebrate creature plopping onto his grill.

"Well, nothing can be perfect. And, anyway, one shower and you'll be like new." The warrior shrugged it off.

Knock Out simply sighed, rather playfully.

"Whatever you say, officer."

"Hey, if it would help you feeling more comfortable about this, what about a race? Huh? C'mon; the first one in reaching the school's parking lot wins." He proposed, poking his Achilles's heel. He knew about the medic being a speed junkie, reason why he rarely missed a street race. However, the Aston Martin didn't answer. "What's the matter? Racing isn't fun if it's not illegal?"

"It's not that, it's just… I don't really feel like racing for the moment." The red car calmly said. "Though I am curious about this trip; I mean, wouldn't it be much more efficient to simply open a bridge for the kids, instead of actually _go_ for them?"

"And where's the fun in that?" Bumblebee questioned.

"Fun?" Knock Out sounded honestly confused.

"Yeah. For us it's fun to carry the children; besides, it allow us to chat with them."

"… Okay, you totally lost me there…"

The Camaro chuckled.

"Don't worry, you'll understand."

Back at base, Ratchet was back at the control room, listening the Wreckers' as they walked towards the training room with their lobbing ball in hand (he was still wondering how did those two managed to bring that thing with them); meanwhile, Jack called asking Arcee to pick him up, and Smokescreen was napping on his quarters. It was a moment of silence and peace for the old medic, who was calibrating the scanners software, which still tended to glitch from time to time. Hopefully, once Bumblebee returned to base with Rafael, the child may help him to fix the accursed program.

He was so concentrated on it, that he jerked on his place when the videoconference's alarm rang. Laughing at his own silliness, Ratchet calmed down and answered the call. He couldn't hide his surprise when Ultra Magnus's face appeared on the screen. The blue bot greeted his old friend, but didn't waste time, and immediately hurried to warn the medic: they were in danger… and it was his fault…


	16. FIFTEEN: Person of Interest

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own** ** _Transformers_** **franchise. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **FIFTEEN: Person of Interest**

Jasper was undoubtedly the kind of place that's trapped in time, or so Knock Out believed, as he noticed that, despite he was gone for little more than two years, nothing seemed to have changed on that city. The buildings were still the same, the same old roads… He couldn't say if it was the same people, though, because he never paid attention to the fleshies that populated that place. Following his guard, the Aston Martin found himself parking in front of a large building, pestered with human teenagers. It was the school where they were supposed to meet with Bumblebee's human pet. As soon as he recognized the place, the former 'Con couldn't hide his amusement, commenting how laughable it was to know that those children were so close to them the whole time. Then, he talked about the amount of decoding that Soundwave had to go through in order to catch those kids…

"And use them to force us into surrender. Yeah, I remember…" Bumblebee completed for him, rudely.

…

Awkward…

For a minute there, the medic forgot that they were once in opposite teams, and that he shouldn't have mentioned _that_. Not so nonchalantly at least… Cursing himself, the red bot apologized for the comment, and both of them fell into silence. Bumblebee, however, sighed.

"It's okay, you're still… adapting to this situation. I should show more patience." The warrior conceded. Then, he moved his left mirror to gaze to his companion. "However, if you're going to get through this parole, you have to stop acting like a 'Con; and that includes your attitude towards humankind."

"I swear I'm making an effort, but you can't hope for me to suddenly be Mr. Perfect Autobot. I spent two million years with Mega-Troll and his army of freaks, after all!" The medic said, exasperated for his helplessness. Such amount of time among the wrong team transformed him into a completely different being… Would he ever be able to overcome what those monsters did to him? A part of him was starting to doubt it…

"Wait: two million years? Weren't you a Decepticon from the beginning?" That comment surprised the Autobot, who didn't see it coming.

"Huh? No, I wasn't. I was a Neutral before join the army. Why?" Knock Out answered. He sounded as if he were coming out of a trance.

"Nothing, it's just that I thought that you followed Megatron since the war started, that's all." Then, the yellow bot chuckled. "Mega-Troll… That's a good one…"

"Can _I_ ask you something now?"

"Go ahead."

"Why did you join the Autobots? I mean, I know that Optimus was a worth-to-follow leader; but, what convinced you to enter the army being a kid?" Knock Out asked, pure curiosity on his voice.

"Well… I was born during the war, so my first memories are about the caretakers hurrying to take us towards a safe place. There, I spent my first stellar-cycles, next to another thousand sparklings who were born on other hot-spots; and the Autobots used to come to check on us, and to bring us Energon." He, then, made a pause. "One night, we heard an explosion that woke us all. The Decepticons were taking over the place. The caretakers tried to protect us, but it was hopeless… So I grabbed my best friend, and we ran away as fast as we could." Another pause. "I don't know how long we ran, but, at some point we were found by Ironhide. He took us to the Autobots base, where they gathered as many sparklings and caretakers as they could. As I grew up… I don't know… It just made sense for me to become one of them."

"You… didn't have to answer me if you didn't want to, you know?" The red car said, kind of embarrassed. It was such a personal story… Why was he able to speak about it so freely?

"I know. But it's fine, really. If it wasn't for that night, I wouldn't be here, so I really treasure that memory, and I don't consider it sad." Bumblebee shrugged. He never minded to explain why he followed Optimus and the others with such devotion; after all, they were the only family he ever knew… The Autobots were his home, and it wasn't a bad thing to talk about home. However, as they were falling into silence, the yellow bot noticed that his companion touched a theme that allowed him to start an actual conversation about them. "And you? What convinced you to join the Decepticons?"

"Um… Not to offend you, but… that's… personal…" The medic answered, kind of awkwardly. "I… don't really like to talk about it, ok?"

"It's fine. Sorry, I didn't know."

Why he joined the 'Cons? Oh, Knock Out knew it well… But to go back to those memories always meant to take the most painful roller-coaster of emotions, something that he always tried to avoid. The only bot who knew about his reasons was Breakdown, because they were best pals, but Bumblebee… Well, he respected the young warrior for being nice with him, and for giving him a chance, but that was as far as their relationship went; they weren't friends, so he didn't have why to share his deepest sorrows with him… or with anybody. Deep inside, he was hoping to, someday, overcome his past. But, for now, that wish seemed so, so far away…

The minutes passed, and, finally a ringing bell announced the school's end, and a horde of teenagers rushed out of the building. Many took pictures of the bright red Aston Martin that was parked next to a shiny yellow Camaro; some even posed next to them (thing that didn't exactly pleased Knock Out, who reminded himself that he was yet on probation, and that he couldn't blow up his cover just because of some thirteen years old idiot…). This kind of treatment didn't seem to bother the Autobot, who simply sighed and waited for his human partner to come out…

It took several minutes, but the teenager finally came into view, struggling with his laptop which refused to enter the backpack he was carrying. As Rafael walked down the doorsteps, some bully pushed him off the way.

The honk of a nearby car called the teenager's attention, who recognized the two sport cars parked right outside. Smiling, the brunette boy ran towards Bumblebee, who opened the passenger's door for him; but, before get into the Camaro's cabin, the teenager didn't forget to greet Knock Out, who simply hummed, acknowledging that the boy talked to him. The former 'Con seemed to be eager to get out of there… He wasn't comfortable around so many human beings. Chuckling, Rafael got into Bumblebee and fastened his seatbelt so they could leave.

The two vehicles drove off the school, and back towards the road that would take them to base.

"Wow! You had a sparring session with Knock Out?!" Rafael wondered, excitement on his face and voice, as his friend talked about his morning.

"Yup. You should've seen him, Raf!" Then, he activated the comlink he had in common with the medic, making sure he listened the next part: "He's becoming one fine Autobot, you know?"

« _Ha, ha… Keep taunting me. Let's see how that ends…_ » The red car answered, clearly annoyed… though, he was, also, kind of entertained by Bumblebee's constant intends of making him feel comfortable.

Suddenly, the yellow bot's comlink pinged. Someone was calling from base.

"Hey, Ratchet. We already picked up Raf, we're going back to base." The warrior announced, cheerfully.

 _«I… am glad to hear you say that, but I fear that I have bad news, Bumblebee… »_ The old medic admitted.

Suddenly, the Camaro stopped on his tracks, while screaming a huge "WHAT?!", startling the medic, who was driving behind him. The red car, pissed off because of his companion's recklessness, honked at him… until he noticed that the warrior was in shock. Then, he asked what happened, but all he got was an unintelligible mumble, and a ground-bridge opening right in front of them.

"No time to explain. We're taking the shortcut." Bumblebee announced, before drive into the green portal, followed closely by a very confused Knock Out.

Both bots transformed as they exited the bridge, and the teenager hurried his way towards the catwalk, located at the other side of the room. The red medic looked around, noticing that the Wreckers and Smokescreen were there too, and that Ratchet did call Arcee, who was on her way back to base. Now that they cleaned the ground-bridge, the older medic was introducing the femme's coordinates to bridge her too. What was going on? Why suddenly everyone was so anxious? Most importantly, why nobody was sharing the information with him? Was it because he was a Decepticon? "Maybe… I've been a fool for trusting on them so soon…" The red bot thought, before step aside, allowing the blue femme to walk out of the ground-bridge. Next to her, Jack waved at the bots and Agent Fowler, who appeared on the room when he exited his office.

"What was so important that you couldn't wait, Ratchet?" Arcee questioned, arching an eyebrow.

"I…" The white and orange bot glanced towards Knock Out, before let out a sigh. "I don't know how to say this, but… Ultra Magnus just called."

The former 'Con took several steps back, fearing that his sentence came out and he was condemned to remain in stasis for the rest of his natural life…

But, the actual news were far worse than that…

"He found out that Shockwave, whose fate was a mystery until a few solar-cycles ago, has been working with two Seekers, Thundercracker and Skywarp… and the three of them has escaped the planet." The old bot announced.

"What?!" Wheeljack's jaw dropped.

"Wait! Hold on! How did he escaped the planet? The space-bridges are under constant surveillance." Arcee wondered out loud.

"They found a functional space-bridge on the depths of Darkmount tower. They escaped through there, and a programmed bomb (Shockwave's doing, no doubt) destroyed the machine when it fulfilled its purpose. However, they recovered the data from the mainframe, and discovered that they transported themselves here."

"Well, now that doesn't make sense…" Smokescreen commented. "Why would he come to Earth?"

"His labs…" Knock Out commented in a whisper, gaining everyone's attention. "He left many hidden labs behind, when we brought him to the planet, two years ago. You saw one of those facilities, don't you remember?" He said, looking at Wheeljack, who nodded, remembering the time when they discovered the place where the mad scientist was cloning the predacons. "Well, knowing him, I can tell that it wasn't the _only_ lab he had. Shockwave is far too cautious about everything he does… He keeps copies of the copies of his works." Then, the medic scratched his chin trying to remember the projects that that one-eyed jerk had at his name. "He must have left something behind… Something that he considers worthy of returning to this planet…"

"So what? Are we talking about a mass destruction weapon? Another cyber-lizard, or what?" Fowler wondered, stepping into the conversation. "I'm asking because when another alien war breaks out, I'll be the idiot who has to explain it to General Bryce…"

"Agent Fowler, the war is over, and that's final. Not even Shockwave can change that fact." Ratchet assured the man with a serious look.

"How're you so sure?" Knock Out asked out loud, serious. "If he came here to retrieve a weapon, he can later take it back to Cybertron, and use it to attack the Council…"

"Starting another civil war…" Bulkhead finished for the red bot. The green bot shivered at the idea of have to endure another conflict like that one. "We need to find him, and stop him before he gets what he wants!"

"And you think I don't know that, Bulkhead?! I've been trying to scan the planet's surface, to locate any probable Decepticon lair, but the program is yet incomplete!" The old medic retorted. Then, calming down, he looked at the youngest teenager. "Rafael, I require your assistance to finish the software…"

"Sure!" The boy jumped into a small chair, and started to write into the human terminal that granted access to the mainframe.

"It may not work…" Knock Out grunted, massaging his neck with his eyes closed. Then, he opened his optics, while placing his hands at the sides of his hip. "As I said: Shockwave is far too cautious. He probably thought about the scanners by now, and designed a cloaking system to prevent detection."

"Even so, it's worth the try…" Ratchet sighed with a shrug, before go to the mainframe, where he started to assist Rafael in his programming.

Unnoticed to the others, Bumblebee called the red bot apart. Nodding, both mechs walked away from the crew, preventing unwanted ears to listen to what he had to say; though Rafael heard, but that was aside the point…

Sighing again, the yellow bot turned to face Knock Out.

"There's something else about this matter; something that the others didn't need to know… for now. Though, I am going to tell them; but you deserved to know first…"

"Ugh! Spit it out, already!" The medic demanded, exasperated.

"Okay… Skywarp went through the police department's files, before he left the planet… and he was looking for you." The younger bot admitted, noticing how his companion's face turned into a consternation gesture. "Ultra Magnus heard those two Seekers talking about a fourth person, someone who isn't related to Shockwave. It seems they're helping the scientist in exchange of keeping this Decepticon alive… but he requires immediate medical attention, and…"

"And I was their medical officer…" Knock Out understood where this was going.

It was his doom! He already left the planet to prevent getting killed by angry citizens who lost friends at the war, and blamed him for those losses! But how was he supposed to get away from a gang of Decepticons who decided to pay a visit to the Earth?! And, not only did they know about his location, but about his treason to the army too! It was his death sentence!

Before he noticed, the medic was hyperventilating, cursing himself for have thrown his life away the way he did, reason why he wasn't paying attention to a worried Bumblebee who was starting to fear that his companion was about to have an spark-attack. Biting his lip, the yellow bot wondered if it was a good or a bad idea to mention the last part of Ultra Magnus's warning… But he believed that, if things were reversed, he would want to know it all; so he just said that there was one more thing: the Wrecker's commander suspected that the fourth Decepticon that ran away was Starscream himself, though the Predacons says they terminate him.

Maybe because of the sudden surprise, maybe because he felt himself cornered and unable to safe his own aft, Knock Out burst out in laughs, saying that it was stupid to think that the Seekers' Commander wouldn't survive a Predacon's attack. Then, he asked to be left alone for a while, saying that he needed to think, and, probably, start writing a will…

Bumblebee, disgusted by his pessimism, stopped the red bot.

"I know you don't really trust us yet, but we're not that weak! We can deal with Starscream and his goons any day! You'll be fine." He reassured the medic, who sighed.

"Look, I really appreciate everything you have done for me, Bumblebee; but let's be realistic for a minute, ok? We're talking of someone who actually passed through the War Academy, and became the commander of the most prestigious squadron of Cybertron, the Energon Seekers; meaning that, though being an idiot, with capital 'I', Screamer is a competent soldier. Now, why he kept acting as a jackass when serving Megatron, that's a mistery; but if he now counts with some of the Seekers he used to command before the war spread out, we need to brace ourselves for an imminent attack!"

"The base is cloaked, he can't find us." Bumblebee tried to calm him down.

"Ugh! Use your processors, once in a while!" The red bot yelled, desperately. "He has attacked this place before, you idiot! He knows where you're hiding already, if he isn't suffering some miraculous amnesia from the Predacons' attack!"

"The base is underground, and he's a flyer; he won't risk himself fighting in a closed room, like this one."

"But he can lure you out! Force you to surrender me to them!" Knock Out retorted, furiously. Then, he sighed to calm down, and Bumblebee could see that he was tired. "I spent too much time with them, I know how they think. If they have to kill someone to force you out of the base, Starscream will order the attack… And, trust me there will be attacks to human populations." He lowered his eyes, looking at his hands. "The things I did… I can't say I'm proud of them, because I would be lying to myself. But Starscream is different; he's unable of remorse. In a way, he started to copy Megatron's madness, though I don't think that he has noticed… For him, defeat you is worth any price; and, believe my words, he will make you pay a very high one."

"He can't win if he doesn't reach you, and we're not going to let him." The younger bot stated, decision burning on his eyes. He was resolute to protect the medic, his Autobot family, the children, and the humankind at any cost.

Knock Out had to admit that he kind of envy the warrior for being like he was, for have grown the way he did… and for have become what he did. Smiling, more for himself than for his companion, the medic shook his head slowly with his eyes closed.

"Sometimes I really wish to be as optimistic as you are, kid." He commented, before start walking away. He wanted to be alone, and the only place to do so was his quarters.

And then, the emotions' roller-coaster started rolling…

It was a silent night, the first one in a long while, perfect to sneak out of the field clinic without being noticed by his friends. A red bot of red optics and bio-lights, slowly, walked out in the open, making sure that nobody was following him, and that there was nobody in the distance. He knew where the soldiers' camps were located, so he already decided a route to avoid them all. With his spark pounding furiously inside of his chest, the small figure started his way as silently as he was able; with some luck, he would reach a safe place by morning, when the battles would restart. However, he had to hurry.

"Where do you think you're going?" A deep voice asked behind him.

Jerking on the spot, the red bot turned around, noticing a bulky blue mech of yellow eyes who was looking at him, lying against a rock, with a disappointed look on the eyes. The runaway sighed in relief when he recognized his good friend…

"Breakdown, what are you doing out here?" He asked, kind of pissed for being caught.

"You know, I was wondering the same about you, Knock…" The blue bot commented, walking towards him, frowning. The smaller bot wasn't able to lock eyes with him. "You're going after him, aren't you?"

"Well, what else am I supposed to do?! Stay here and do nothing?!" Knock Out snapped at his friend, gesturing towards the field clinic. "I can't do it! I tried, and I just can't!" He stated, turning to walk away… towards Kaon. "That son of a glitch double-crossed his own partners! He… he…!"

"I know, doc. I saw 'Glider's wounds, remember…?" Breakdown commented, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I can't forgive him neither; but let's let the Autobots handle their own traitors, Knock. We aren't soldiers. You're a medic, for Primus's sake! You'll get yourself killed!" He warned his friend, truly worried.

"I don't care…" He retorted, slapping away his friend's hand, and shutting his eyes.

"… They didn't find her… did they?" The blue bot finally asked, noticing why the medic was being so irrational.

"… Not even a piece… That bastard is the only one who knows where her body is, Breakdown." He said, and, then, he turned to face his friend. "I need to see it by myself, otherwise…" His voice trembled. "I refuse to believe that she's…!" He covered his eyes with his hands, hearing his friend gasping at his newly added claws. He changed his appearance in order to look like a real Decepticon… It was the only way that they would allow him to join their army; and it was the only way that he would be able to get his hands on the bag of scum who betrayed his friends. He would never get close enough as an Autobot.

Breakdown, realizing that, if Knock Out went so far to change his own appearance, wouldn't be able to change his mind, sighed in defeat.

"Well, if I cannot stop you; then I'm going with you." He stated.

"Wait, what?" Knock Out couldn't believe his audio-receptors. Would he risk his neck for him? Seriously?

"You heard me." The blue bot said, shrugging and crossing his arms. "Besides, you won't last a klik in the battlefield without me."

"Are you fragging crazy?! I'm a medic, Breakdown! I will never see the battlefield! And you have friends who needs you here, with the Neutrals and the Autobots!" The red bot retorted, truly worried for his friend.

"The 'Cons doesn't treat their medics like the 'Bots does; many of them are sent right into the battlefield to retrieve the bodies, in other words: they do fight. And I have seen your fighting skills…" He scratched the back of his helm. "Trust me, a sparkling can defeat you, pal…" Knock Out glared at his friend at that comment. Did he actually think that poorly about him? "Sorry, but that's the truth! Anyway, I can teach you some moves." He offered. "And don't worry about my friends…"

Realizing the real mean behind the blue bot's words, the medic's optics widened in true fear.

"What did you…?"

"Well, I knew you weren't going to hear our pleas of stay put, so I betrayed them during a battle that took place yesterday. That's why I didn't show up today…" The blue bot admitted, scratching his left cheek with his left index, and averting his eyes in shame. "A-anyway! I met a guy… Um… Motormaster, I think that was his designation, but I wouldn't bet at my memory… He appeared during the fight, and, after seeing my little act, he assured me that he can get us into the Decepticon army. So? What do you say?"

The medic was startled. He truly did that for him? Why? He just wasted all his sacrifices for a plan that nobody could grant to be successful!

"Ugh, you _are_ an idiot…"

"Yeah, well… All I hope is that Bulkhead will understand why I did it, once we have avenged Sunscorch. I would hate to be on bad terms with him forever. However, you're my best friend, so… Are you ready to go? Because I told Motor-whatever that we would meet with him before sunrise." Breakdown asked, smiling and placing his hands at the sides of his hip.

Unable of do anything else, Knock Out smiled. It was nice to have such a good friend…

The red medic woke up on his bunk. As usual he dozed off while thinking about his past, and, of course, he started to dream with his memories. "As if it wasn't bad enough to go through it once…" He thought, while sliding his legs off the berth. He noticed that he forgot the door open, but he simply shrugged at it. Nothing happened… Definitely, sleep in the Autobots' base wasn't like sleep at the _Nemesis_ , where, last thing you wanted, was to forget to lock the door. Otherwise, you were risking yourself to wake up with someone pointing his gun to your head.

Well, he was feeling safe because he hadn't experienced the Autobot version of trespasser…

Yet…

"You know? You're really cute when you sleep."

Alarmed by the unknown voice, Knock Out looked down, noticing a very amused Miko, who was holding her new pink cellphone on her hand. He didn't need to ask: she probably took a picture of him.

And that was it…

"GET THE FRAG OUT OF MY ROOM!"

At the control room, Bulkhead sighed.

"Miko…" The green bot grunted, as he started his way towards the red medic's bedroom.

 **See you soon!**


	17. SIXTEEN: Game On

**Hello! How're you doing, guys? Hope you're fine.**

 **I've been writting. Unfortunately, the major part of what I've wrote doesn't belong to this particular story, but to another that popped into my mind a couple days ago... Sorry. I'm kind of stuck with** ** _Redemption_** **, but don't worry, I won't abandon it.**

 **Now, let's keep going!**

 **Warning: English isn't my mother language, so you might find grammar mistakes in this, or any other, story of mine. Sorry.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own** ** _Transformers Prime,_** **nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **SIXTEEN: Game On**

After last night's incident, Knock Out learnt to _never_ forget to lock his door, ever again; but, especially, he learned that for Miko the limits were there for the others, but never for her. Bumblebee explained to him that it was a normal basis for them to double check that the girl didn't followed them into the battles… and, even then, many times they failed to see her, until it was too late. Even Jack and Rafael admitted that, after the thousandth time, they stopped trying. The medic listened to them all, but there was only one thing that was upsetting him: that the teenager refused to erase the damn picture from her phone.

"Miko, c'mon…" Bulkhead pressed.

"No! Why do I have to delete it?! I have pictures of all of you, guys; and Doc-Knock is one of us now!" She complained, crossing her arms.

"Miko, it's not good to take pictures of people without permission…" The Wrecker sighed, trying to be the middle man between the offended Decepticon and the stubborn teenager girl.

"Not my fault he left the door open." She retorted, pointing at Knock Out who was standing at the other side of the green bot.

The medic's eyes widened at the comment.

"Excuse me, but if things were reversed, would you like me to take pictures of _you_?! While _in_ _ **your**_ _room_?! _In your sleep_?! **_Without your permission_**?!" The red bot snapped, clearly feeling outraged for this recent event.

"I see that hard… You wouldn't fit inside my house." Was the girl's retort.

Okay… Nobody saw that coming…

Knock Out sighed in total despair. Was there anything in the world that was too much, even for this creature?! Again, Bulkhead apologized in the name of his charge, and tried, one more time, to reason with her… And, again, she refused.

Eventually, this argument annoyed Jack enough to step into the fight: without warning, he snatched the phone out of its owner's grip, and, while pushing Miko away with one arm, he deleted the picture. Then, announcing that it was done, he returned the item to the Japanese girl, who punched him on the arm, clearly pissed.

Chuckling in the bottom of the scene, Smokescreen wished _he_ had a camera to record the whole thing.

Well, now with the discussion finished, Ratchet asked for a little silence, so Rafael and he could work on the scanning software; and everyone agreed… Well, everyone but Miko, who quickly asked Bulkhead and Wheeljack if they wanted to play a videogame with her. Knock Out, afar from those three, arched an eyebrow and questioned Bumblebee about it. The yellow bot shrugged, explaining that it was almost a daily thing when it was their job to entertain the children, in order to keep them safe.

"Videogames? Really?" The medic wondered in disbelief.

"What? It's for fun!" Bumblebee said, cheerfully. He wouldn't say it, but he was the best player among the bots, thanks to the hours he spent competing with Raf.

"… And, again, I don't get you…"

"I got an idea: why don't you try it?" Smokescreen proposed, popping next to Knock Out.

"Yeah…" He sighed, rolling his eyes. "That's not happening…" He finished, crossing his arms, and checking his claws, trying to show as little interest as he could.

The kids, who were entertained with their own stuff until that moment, suddenly turned around to look at the bots, knowing that the Elite Guard was seconds away from daring the medic to play a game with him. It was written all over his face, and his smile was growing wider as he opened his mouth to challenge the bot. But, before he was able to, Knock Out announced that, since the incident with Miko was already solved, he would go back to sleep… Then, he turned away and left the control room, leaving a very disappointed Japanese girl behind, who was looking forward to watch the two bots competing.

Ratchet, meanwhile, was about to rip the CPU's wires off at any minute; but he, somehow, was able to control himself. Not even with Rafael's skills helping him, the old medic was able to fix the scanner's program; and it was getting late… The children, especially Rafael, the youngest one, would have to go back home at any minute, and, for what they knew, a Decepticon could be waiting for them. No. They wouldn't get hurt, not under his watch. Sighing, the old bot rubbed his optics, decided to fix the problem before the humans left the place… Though he knew that it wasn't possible. This glitch has been troubling them for months now, and it would take months to solve it.

A friendly tap on the shoulder made the medic look behind him, noticing that Arcee and Bumblebee were smiling at him.

"I'm fine, don't worry." The medic assured them, while going back to work.

They needed to be ready…

* * *

"Where am I supposed to put this stuff?"

"As if I know. Just… drop it there, somewhere…"

Skywarp and Thundercracker were connecting the systems and arranging everything inside one of Shockwave's secret lairs, while the scientist was activating the cloaking technology that would keep them hidden from the Autobots. The purple Seeker was carrying four boxes of Energon that was already processed and ready to be used, while the blue one was dealing with the wires (the place's owner didn't trust in Skywarp's intelligence for the power lines' installation). However, the only thing they cared about was their boss; they needed to fix him up, and to do so they needed a medic… _Their_ medic. Not even Shockwave was aware of Knock Out's betrayal, reason why the flyer had to irrupt into the police office, and search for his legal profile. He was expecting to find him in jail, not running freely… with the Autobot scout Bumblebee… The very same who killed Megatron. When the Seeker learned about the medic's situation, about his parole, he immediately told Thundercracker, who promised to terminate the guy once their boss was healed.

A weak moan called their attention towards a stretcher that they improvised in a corner. At least, he was now awake, but he was, yet, too far from recover from his wounds… If he moved too much, the Energon would start to leak from his joints, so he tried his best to remain still; but, at some point he needed to stretch, or his limbs would get numb. Struggling, he extended his fingers, and, slowly, flexed his arms and legs. A loud growl escaped his mouth as a thin line of Energon leaked out of his left knee articulator, staining his lower leg, before it started to drip, making a small puddle under his limb. Carefully, he put back his legs down against the cold surface of the stretcher. His Seekers, alerted by the noise, rushed to his side; they were wondering if there was anything they could do to help him.

Well, there _was_ something…

And, knowing that that one-eyed jerk wouldn't give the order, the wounded one decided that it was time to procure himself some medical attention…

* * *

Morning. Time to get up. Yawning, Knock Out stretched his legs and got out of his berth rubbing his eyes, before walk out of his quarters towards the storage room to grab some Energon to breakfast. For the first time in many days he had a full recharge, so he was glad for it; but, despite being happy for a good night sleep, he would be completely awake only after refuel. He was stretching his back and arms, when he suddenly heard a high pitched feminine voice greeting him. It couldn't be…

Groaning with his eyes shut, the red bot slowly turned around. Indeed, his gaze met with Miko, who was, once again, cheerfully waving at him from the catwalk.

"Aren't you supposed to be at the _other_ side of the planet?" The medic wondered, kind of upset about the constant presence of the teenager. For some reason, from the four humans that lurked in that place, this one was the most irritating. A part of him was starting to feel pity for Bulkhead, who was the girl's guardian.

"On Sunday? Hah! C'mon, Doc-Knock, this is my day off!" She replied, crossing her arms and arching an eyebrow, with a wide smirk on her lips.

"Primus, give me strength…" Knock Out muttered, while sighing and walking away.

Of course, the girl was too stubborn to just let him go, and started to chase after him. Thanks to the catwalks installed all around the place, it was virtually impossible to lose the children, if they didn't want to be lost. And Miko definitely didn't want to be left behind, so, at the same time she ran behind the bot's steps, she kept pestering him with questions about different matters… Questions that the former Decepticon chose to ignore as far as he could, hoping that, if he didn't show interest in her, the girl would eventually go away. But, as he realized that they were steps away from the storage room, the medic bit his lip, and placed his hands at the sides of his waist, understanding that he wouldn't get out of this situation unless he said something. Coming to a halt, he turned to watch the teenager.

"Alright, alright! Shut your mouth, please!" He begged, frowning. The girl did as asked, but the sly smile on her face told the medic that he just gave her what she wanted all along: his attention. Huffing, the bot massaged his temples, before sigh in defeat. "Okay… Just one question. Don't waste it." He said, raising his right index digit, giving in.

"Aw… C'mon…"

" _One_ question." He repeated, furrowing.

"Um…" Miko placed her right elbow on her left palm, while touching her lips with her right index. Clearly, she was trying to decide which one of her many doubts was worth to be asked. There were many things about the medic that she was curious about (starting with the fact that he, unlike the other Decepticons, didn't wear the faction's symbol). Then, she came with something: "Alright then, I'll ask about the thing you repeat the most." She decided, shrugging. "What's the big deal about your paintjob? I mean, you're a soldier; aren't you supposed to be used to scratches?"

"That's it? I give you one chance to ask me whatever you want, and that's the best thing you come up with?" He wondered, arching an eyebrow. The girl simply shrugged. "Ugh… Human mind. I will never understand your species, I swear…" He said, narrowing his eyes. Then, he sighed and rolled his optics, before crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Fine: people used to make fun of me when I was a sparkling, but the jokes decreased after I started to take care of my appearance. In resume: I appreciate my paintjob, because it was thanks to it that some of the idiots who laughed at me stopped their harassment." He confessed, forcing himself not to give any details about his true past. "Satisfied?" He asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Wait; are you saying that you suffered bullying?" The girl asked surprised, cocking her head to the left.

"Ah, ah! You already spent your question!" The bot retorted with a mischievous smirk, before resume his way to the storage room.

"What?! Oh, c'mon, Doc-Knock!"

But it was hopeless, the medic was already inside the room, chuckling about the face the girl made when he refused to keep talking. Sighing and picking up an Energon cube, the red bot decided that, maybe, and despite of being a headache, these humans weren't as bad as he imagined (though he would never forgive the Japanese teenager for trespassing into his quarters, completely intruding into his privacy). It was then when his mind started to divert his train of thoughts towards the figure of a little girl he met two years ago, and his smile faded away… During his time on jail, the memory of Millie was one of the few things that kept him sane, next to the ones of Breakdown and the other friends he lost on the way. He often wondered what her luck was, if she was alright, if she was yet on that orphanage, or if somebody acknowledged her tender heart and decided to adopt her. With a sigh, the medic scanned his surroundings, making sure he was alone. Then, he took off the old stuffed animal, which he somehow managed to smuggle without nobody noticing. "I hope you're okay, Millie… Sorry for being unable to go and greet you." He thought, putting the toy away once more. It was too risky to let anyone know about his friendship with a human being… True that the Autobots liked the Earth's native species, but, what if Shockwave and the other runaway 'Cons got to know about her through them? No. He wasn't able to keep his previous friends safe, but he would protect this one… even if it hurts…

Meanwhile, Miko returned to the control room, pouting and with her arms crossed. Though Ratchet, who was, again, working on the scanners' software, didn't notice her expression; Jack, once again lying on the couch, studying for an approaching exam, couldn't help but laugh at her face.

"Uh-oh! Seems someone was ditched!" The oldest boy mocked her.

"Shut up, Jack-O!" She retorted, pissed because it was true.

Everyone knew that, in the girl's mind, Knock Out was a shiny new toy; a toy that she was eager to play with, despite that everyone kept telling her to leave him alone. In the background, the old medic sighed at the kids' comments, and didn't bother in remind the girl that their guest needed time to accommodate to his new environment, so they were meant to allow him to come out of his shell at his own pace. It was pointless to repeat that speech… The girl would simply ignore it once again, as she always does whenever he talks. "Sometimes I wonder why I keep trying…" The white and orange bot thought, while typing the next code, next to Rafael who smiled at him in sympathy.

Then, Knock Out entered the room, holding a half-eaten Energon cube. Everyone greeted him, while Bulkhead apologized for Miko chasing after him… again… But said that he didn't notice when the girl ran off. The red bot shrugged, saying that no damage was done, so it wasn't important. However, he did glare at the girl, adding that he didn't promise anything if he happen to awake with a human staring at him again… The Japanese teenager simply plucked her tongue out to him, and took seat next to Jack, who, knowing that she was about to start a videogame, chose to sit somewhere else.

Offended by it, the teenage girl threw a joystick to the boy.

"Hey! That hurts!" He complained, while massaging his back with a hand.

"Then don't treat me as if I were the plague itself!" She retorted.

"Miko, I have exams in two days! I have to study, and I can't concentrate with you playing videogames next to my ear!" He shot back, pointing out the thick book he was holding.

"Miko…" Bulkhead moaned massaging his temples. With the years, the girl has become worse than he remembered…

Amused, the red bot kept taking small bites of his food, before chuckle and take a look around. Bumblebee was standing next to Rafael and Ratchet, obviously eager to have the scanners online as soon as possible. Smokescreen was fooling around with Wheeljack, and Arcee was in the training room (since Jack asked her to be left alone so he could study).

The noise of the human sized elevator made them look towards the entrance through the hangar, where they saw Agent Fowler yelling at someone through his cellphone. Once inside the bots' base, the middle-age man hung up, and, looking at the Autobots, informed that the 'Cons already made their move. Then, he told Rafael to put the news in the screens; the boy nodded and did as told.

Everyone gasped in horror when they saw the picture of the history museum that was burning down to the ground, while, behind the reporter, the firemen were hurrying to rescue the victims. Then, as the woman of the news informed that the source of the fire was yet unknown, the cameraman made a close-up of the ambulances that were taking the injured ones to the nearest hospital. Many were children since some school was making a field trip to the place… It was the hardest part to hear for the bots. Bumblebee turned away from the screen, and Ratchet grunted in rage, knowing that it was their fault, because they were too slow to optimize the scanning program. This was the result of _their_ failure…

Suddenly, as the camera focalized another ambulance, a soft thud was heard, and everyone turned to look at Knock Out, whose food was now in the ground, as his arms were trembling. The medic seemed to have seen a ghost… his face went paler and his eyes widened. His mouth opened slightly as he seemed to try to say something, but, instead, his lips trembled in an inaudible mumble.

In the screen was the picture of a young little girl of bronze skin and wild curly black hair, lying unconscious in an ambulance…

* * *

 **Well, that's all for today.**

 **Please let me know your opinion about the story this far... and meanwhile I will try to make my Muse start working as she should! *The Muse hears this and starts running away* What the-?! Come back here, you lazy little...! *Looks back at the screen***

 **Hope to see you soon! *Starts chasing the Muse* Come back here in this instant!**


	18. SEVENTEEN: Man Down

**I've modified this chapter, because I've been re-reading everything I've wrote so far, and I came to hate what I wrote here. Sorry to those who already read it.**

 **Warning: My mother language isn't English, so there might be mistakes in here.**

 **Disclaimer: I do now own** ** _Transformers_** **franchise, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **SEVENTEEN: Man Down**

Knock Out was locked up in his quarters, inside of which the rest of the bots could hear the noise of his buzzsaw as he seemed to be breaking everything on his way. Nobody understood why this attack, which he foretold, affected him this much. There was something about that little girl that they ignored… After seeing the medic's behavior, Fowler decided to go to the hospital, in order to contain the damage. Maybe he would be able to get some information about the child, at least her identity; meanwhile, Bumblebee and some other Autobots were trying to reason with the red mech, who refused to open up his room's doors. It was more than just frustrating to talk to him like that, especially because the only answer they were given was a constant "Go away!" screamed through the thick door. Finally, deciding that they should give the medic some time alone, the bots stopped and went back to their duty, tracking the Decepticons.

At the hospital, June Darby was surprised to see the Agent Fowler, until she put the pieces together and realized what happened: the museum's accident was no accident at all; it was an attack. Sighing, she gestured the governmental agent to remain silent, saying that she now understood that this was somehow related to the Decepticons. The man nodded, looking straight into the nurse's eyes. Worried, she opened her mouth to ask for the kids, but before being able to, she was told that they were fine; the children were nowhere close the place when this happened. It relieved her.

"However, I came here for a child. An Afro-American little girl was sent to this hospital, and, though nobody knows who she is, when her face was shown at the news channel… I don't know how to explain what happened… Knock Out went nuts! Now the bots are trying to calm him down!" He explained, still stunned by the red bot's reaction. Then, he took a screen capture of the girl out of his jacket's pocket, and gave it to the woman. "Have you seen her?"

The nurse took a good look at the picture before nodding with sad eyes.

"Good. Maybe this will calm that narcissistic idiot…" Fowler said, grabbing his phone to call to base, but June stopped him.

"I think it's too soon to announce good news…"

… … …

Knock Out was sitting on the floor, with the back of his head resting on his berth's brim, finally calmed down. In his right hand he was gripping the stuffed animal that Millie gave him so long ago, while his mind replayed the picture of the news over and over…

It broke him. As the war was ongoing, the idea of losing his friends was terrifying, but it was a reality that he had to face; because many were going to be terminated in such conflict. But the war was over now, and there was no excuse for what happened to Millie. She probably was in that stupid field trip, unaware of what his old faction would do! She was completely innocent!

He covered his eyes with his hands, still holding the toy. Why he? Was he cursed to suffer until the End of Times? Why all of his friends were meant to be pushed through this kind of experiences?! Sunscorch, Nightglider, Breakdown…! They were war casualties, but Millie…!? It was too much! What did he do to deserve such punishment?!

The medic surprised himself sobbing, at the same time someone knocked at his door. Wiping away the tears, he allowed the visitor to come in with a shaky voice… Of course, it was Bumblebee, who was accompanied by his human, Rafael. Knock Out only dedicated one quick gaze at them, knowing how pitiful he looked at the moment.

The boy's heart shrunk at the picture: the medic's room was torn apart, with marks of his saw here and there. The desk was now reduced to scrap, and even the bunk took some damage. But the worst part was to look at the red bot, whose soul seemed to be shattered, as if something ripped away his spark, while forcing him to watch the whole thing. Rafael looked at the yellow bot, worried for the medic; but Bumblebee simply sighed before kneel next to Knock Out.

"How is she?" The red mech asked in a cracked whisper, before the warrior was able to give him the news. His eyes never looked at his visitor as he talked; he was looking straight at the wall in front of him.

"She's alive, Knock Out. Injured, but alive." The police officer announced, calmly. The medic simply nodded, but didn't lend him a single glimpse. "However, she's unconscious… Seems that she hit her head during the evac." He explained. Then, noticing that the other one shuddered in pain at those news, he quickly added: "But Jack's mom examined her and said that she's going to be alright. So…"

"Her name is Millie." Knock Out interrupted the warrior. "I met her…" He admitted, like in some sort of trance. "Two years ago… You beat me in a battle, I ran off, ended in a glade, and there she was… reading some book titled _The Little Prince_ … We met again a couple more times…" Lowering his gaze, he opened his hand, revealing the toy; thing that surprised both, the yellow bot and the kid next to him. It proved that he was saying the truth. "I… learnt to like her… I felt sad when I left her behind…" Suddenly, he gritted his teeth once more, and gripped the stuffed animal with all his might. "And now she's in a hospital! And it's because of me!"

Rafael gently patted the medic's arm. None of this was his fault. The 'Cons were trying to lure the Autobots out, and they knew that the fastest way to do so was endangering the humans; but the fact that that girl got hurt wasn't his fault. But there was nothing they could say to make the red bot feel better… Though, there might be one way to relieve him…

Turning around to look at his partner, the teenager silently asked Bumblebee to get out, so they could talk in private. Seeing that there wasn't much he could do for Knock Out, the warrior agreed, and scooped the human boy on his hands, while walking out of the quarters. The doors shut behind them, and the room was, once again, in shadows because the medic didn't bother in turn on the lights… nor that he was in the mood…

The atmosphere was pulling him back to his memories, and, though he struggled not to think about such things, he couldn't stop himself from crying as the pictures simply popped up in his mind…

At the control room, an atmosphere of defeat was hanging upon the bots' heads. They were supposed to prevent this kind of events, not provoke them. This was a huge failure on their side. The dark silence was cut by the sound of Bumblebee's steps, who quickly wondered if there were any news about the attack; his only answer was Wheeljack shaking his head in denial, while Jack talked to someone through his cellphone away from the others. Bulkhead and Arcee were patrolling the museum and its surroundings, in case the 'Cons left something behind, though they doubted it.

"How is Knock Out?" Ratchet suddenly asked, looking away from the screens.

"If I had to put it in one word, I would say… devastated." Rafael commented, at the same time he walked towards the staircase that connected the ground with the catwalks. Then, he looked at Jack, who just hung up his call. "What did Fowler say?"

"You want the good news or the bad news?"

"Um… Bad first, good later?" Wheeljack answered, shrugging.

"Ok. The bad news are that Jasper is going on DEFCON 3, meaning that the U.S. army is on the move, and you'll have to be extra cautious whenever you leave base." The teenager informed, agitated, scared for what this security measures would mean for his friends. "On the bright side, nobody died, which is the only good news I have…" He added, passing his fingers through his hair and averting his eyes. "Oh! And Fowler already saw the little girl. She's stable, but, between the hit on her head and the smoke she breathed, nobody knows when she will wake up…" He sighed and rolled his eyes, feeling completely useless.

The team shared a look, hoping that someone would come up with an idea of what to do now. They were now racing against time, now that the 'Cons made their first move, the bots' only option was to answer the attack in order to prevent another massacre; but, how? Thanks to the scanners' glitch, they were nowhere close to know where Shockwave and the Seekers were hiding. Growling out loud, Ratchet punched the mainframe's keyboard, while mumbling a large list of curses, both, in human and in Cybertronian language. Being the oldest officer in the base, the responsibility fell directly on him; especially because he was the bot in charge of the security systems. Rafael, now sitting on his usual spot, sighed in sympathy, knowing that Ratchet wasn't the only one who failed… He did as well, because he was supposed to speed things up for the medic. In the end, none of their efforts worked out.

Suddenly, Arcee and Bulkhead checked in, saying that they couldn't find anything useful; that they would make another round only to double-check, however, they warned everyone not to raise hopes. "Knock Out saw this coming, and, yet, we did nothing to prevent it…" Bumblebee thought, grunting.

Then, they were buried once again in deafening silence, until Miko let out a roar, while jumping off the couch and clapping her hands.

"Oh! C'mon, guys! It's not like this didn't happen before!" She said out loud, frowning, before place her hands at the sides of her hips. Then, she turned to look at the boys. "Am I the only one who remembers what happened two years ago? Jasper was the freaking filming set of _The_ _War of the Worlds_! This is nothing compared to that!"

"Miko, we were in a _war_ back then! There's a huge difference to what happened now!" Smokescreen, who was oddly silent until that point, retorted.

"Oh, yeah? And what's the 'huge' difference?" She challenged him, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"That, two years ago, we were _ready_ and _expecting_ the 'Cons to attack us! But this…" The Elite Guard angrily gestured towards the pictures on the screen. "We're no longer in conflict! This shouldn't have happened!"

"Oh, because Megatron trying to cyberform Earth should have happened?!" The Japanese girl shot back, shouting, ignoring that Jack was pulling her by the shoulders, trying to calm her down. "Have you forgotten that Bucket Head tried to use the Omega Lock to kill everyone on this planet?!"

"Again: we were at _war_!" The blue bot pressed, walking towards the catwalk, until he was inches away. "For the Decepticons, the total annihilation of the humankind was the ultimate victory against us, who swore to _protect_ _ **you**_!" He glared at the girl, who would have retorted if it wasn't because Jack stood between her and the bot, asking them both to stop.

"Fight among us will only help the 'Cons! Please, stop it!" The black haired boy pleaded.

"Jack's right. This is hardly the time to start an inner quarrel." Ratchet conceded, gently patting the young blue bot's shoulder, silently asking him to calm down and return to his position. "We couldn't prevent the first strike, now that was a failure. But, if we are not able to stop them from trying again because we're fighting each other, it would be inexcusable."

"So, what do we do now?" Wheeljack wondered, serious.

"First is first: we need to fix the scanners; also, we require a response strategy, because we know this is barely the beginning of a whole new battle. Second: we need to find out why Shockwave returned to this planet." The medic listed out.

"Can we add something to the list?" Rafael asked, rising a hand and earning a confused look from everyone.

Knock Out was recharging once more. His previous outrage exhausted him, so his systems went to power down rather quickly… As usual, he was dreaming with the few memories that he had from his life before joining the Decepticon army; though he couldn't quite say why this old experiences were resurfacing, he had to admit that he was glad… The fact that he deeply regretted everything he did while serving Megatron, meant that there was still hope for him; right?

Yet, as the history advanced, he fell, once more, in this particular memory… it was something that he always hoped to forget, but things like that burns in your mind forever.

* * *

Breakdown was returning from the battlefront. Being a bulky mech such as himself, the blue bot was usually called to assist the army whenever they were facing the Wreckers. It was such a weird thing for him to be in the opposite team of his good old friend Bulkhead… However, it was also fun. They always liked to compete against each other, so he liked to see their battles as just one more of their competitions, rather than true death matches between a 'Bot and a Con. It was his way to keep his sanity and his good mood around the ranks.

"I gotta say it. At first I didn't trust in that red moron, but, after what I've seen… Well, I don't wish to be on his black list." Breakdown heard a Vehicon tell to another one, as they both passed right next to him.

"Yeah, me neither."

That last comment called Breakdown's full attention. A red bot? Were they talking about Knock Out?! Ignoring the stares of the soldiers that he pushed out of the way, the blue mech rushed towards the medical bay, where he hoped to meet his friend… But he couldn't see him anywhere around; though the stretcher had some Energon stains, meaning that it had been used not too long ago.

A groan made the bulky soldier look to his right, locating the poor medic, who was holding himself from a shelf. Knock Out's back was turned toward the newcomer, so when, suddenly, a big hand that gently patted him on the shoulder, the medic jump on his place; only to realize that it was his best friend, Breakdown. He sighed in relief.

"What happened?" The blue bot asked.

"Megatron… He came here, dragging a prisoner… A poor guy called Mirage…" The medic, said, stumbling upon his words, looking away from his friend… but, mostly, looking away from the stretcher. "H-he refused to talk… so… M-Megatron… he told me to… to loosen his tongue…"

"What…?"

Knock Out sighed and looked at his friend in the eyes.

"You were right, Breakdown." He finally admitted, obviously ashamed. "Decepticon medics aren't like Autobot ones…" He broke. He covered his face and cried, unable to hold back any longer.

It was too much… He wasn't meant to be this kind of person. He fought his whole life to be good, to be decent; so, why? Why wasn't he able to get out of there? To run towards the nearest Autobot camp and ask to defect? He knew that those bots were as desperate for soldiers as the Decepticons were; they would accept them both without asking questions ―except, maybe, their reasons to betray Megatron's ideals.

And yet… he couldn't… He couldn't bring himself to quit, not now that he earned some sort of trust from this accursed army. Wasn't this what he wanted anyway? Wasn't he where he needed to, in order to find the responsible for Sunscorch's termination? He knew that there was no other way for him to get close enough to the Autobot traitor; he was no warrior material, and never would meet the battlefield. No. He couldn't leave. He had to be strong… "But we've been here a quartex already, and yet I've been unable to track down that traitor…" Knock Out thought, while asking his friend to help him to clean the place. Then, he grabbed the mop and started to clean up too.

"Maybe we should consider to get out of here, doc…" He commented, receiving a stupefied face as answer. "Just think about it: this is going to be almost a daily routine, and, if you keep behaving like a Neutral, Megatron won't take long in discover that we're not loyal to his cause." He explained. "And, let's not forget that you refused to be marked as a Decepticon, when we joined the army." He added, crossing his arms.

"I'm not going to allow them to carve that thing on my chassis!" The medic retorted, furiously. "I'm not one of them!"

Quickly, after hearing that statement, Breakdown locked the door while hushing his best friend.

"Keep it low, Knock! You don't want to be heard saying such things!" He said, almost in panic, hoping that there weren't troopers at the hallway when the red mech openly declared his disloyalty. Then, after a couple seconds of silence, he sighed in relief. They were still safe. "Ok, ok. We're staying as long as you want; however, if you're planning to survive in this army, we need to act like a true Decepticon. Otherwise, we will be executed, and you know it…" He commented, crossing his arms and frowning.

"Well, everyone here thinks that I keep you as my bodyguard, so I can be the narcissistic idiot, and you can be the blood-strength." The smaller bot mused, sarcastically, while he kept cleaning the floor.

"Actually… That's not such a bad idea…" Breakdown thought out loud, while scratching his chin with his right index, and looking at the roof.

Knock Out drily stopped mopping, and turned to look at his friend with an arched eyebrow.

"What?" He wondered.

"Well… I am the bulkiest one of the two of us, while you're the scientist, so…"

"Wait a minute." The red bot interrupted his friend, raising a hand, asking him to stop talking. Then, he grunted massaging his temples. "Are you actually suggesting to pretend that I'm the brains, and you're the brute?" He asked, receiving a nod. "Breakdown! I was being sarcastic!"

"I'm not." He shrugged. "There's no such thing as friendship among the Decepticons; if we keep acting as best pals, they will grow suspicious about us. Look, I'm not saying that I like to play dumb, but if that would keep me alive, then…"

"Ugh… Fine. If you think that it would keep us alive for a couple more days, then, let's do it. However, if you keep being send to the battlefront, while I'm being kept in here, I doubt that such role play would be necessary." He gave up, and resumed moping the floor. "By the way…" He turned to look at Breakdown. "Be careful when they call you to the battlefront. Don't take unnecessary risks."

The blue bot gave him a reassuring smile, and helped him to clean the room…

* * *

A pair of hands that were gently shaking him by the shoulders was what woke him up. Bumblebee was back inside of his room, telling him to get up, that they were going out. Knock Out, despite complying and getting onto his feet, couldn't resist the impulse of asking where they were going at the same time that both of them walked into the hallway. The former scout sighed and said that he was going to take him to the hospital… so he could see Millie…

* * *

 **I'm still glad for the reviews I received during the publication of this story.**

 **Again, sorry to those who already read the original chapter.**


	19. EIGHTEEN: Missing Person

**Hello again! Hope you're doing just fine, and enjoying this story!**

 **To the guest who commented the last chapter, thanks for the review!**

 **Warning: English isn't my mother language, so there might some grammar mistakes. Sorry about it.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own** ** _Transformers_** **franchise, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **EIGHTEEN: Missing Person**

June Darby was with Agent Fowler, looking after an eleven years-old little girl of bronze skin and wild curly hair; a girl whose name was now known for them: Millie. The middle age man was looking at the child's sleeping face, wondering how she befriended a Decepticon two years ago, when the Cybertronian civil war was still ongoing; meanwhile the nurse was tending to her wounds. The little girl had some cuts and bruises, but nothing too serious; though she yet hasn't regained consciousness, the doctors were optimistic about her.

They moved her to a room that had a window to the parking lot, because Ratchet called minutes ago, warning them that Bumblebee was taking Knock Out to the hospital, hoping that the red bot would feel better after having a visual of the child. Deep inside, Fowler hoped it too… The memory of the red medic almost losing his sanity at the picture of Millie being taken by an ambulance was still too fresh in his mind. Who would've guessed that that guy was capable of caring for somebody else but himself? Even more, a human! Wasn't he supposed to hate their species to the core? "The more I know about this guy, the less I understand him…" The federal agent thought, when a honk made him snap out of his thoughts.

Bumblebee and Knock Out were already parked outside, and the yellow car already announced their presence. It was a matter of time for someone to open the curtains so they could see Millie. Finally, June allowed them to peek inside the room, where the little girl was sleeping attached to some serum and an electrocardiograph, which monitored her regular heartbeat; also there was a bandage wrapping her head, and a respirator helping her. The medic's spark shrunk at the picture… "At least she's alive; focus in that…" He reminded himself.

"Thank you, Bumblebee." The Aston Martin said, softly, surprising his companion who didn't expected such honesty from him.

"You're welcome, and, though I know it won't help… I'm sorry that this happened." The warrior commented. The memory of the day when Megatron hurt Raf resurfaced in his mind. He knew what Knock Out was feeling, because he has been there… And he didn't wish such pain to anybody, not even to his worst enemy.

"Me too." He sighed, never looking away from the little girl who was sleeping at the other side of the glass, wishing that he could talk to her. It has been so long since the last time they met…

The two sport cars were in deep silence, when the Camaro saw something through his rearview mirrors: it was barely the silhouette of a plane, but what really called his attention was to realize that he could recognize the design. It was _Cybertronian_! "Scrap!" Knowing they were under attack, he turned on his engine and warned his companion about the newcomer; but they didn't have time to react. As soon as they tried to move, both cars got shot. The blast send the mechs flying away from each other.

Though a little stunned, Bumblebee's instincts made him transform into his bipedal form and get ready for battle; however, once he was able to stand on his feet, first thing that he looked for was Knock Out, who was, also transformed, a few feet away from him. The red bot was kneeled, supporting his weight on his left arm, while massaging his head with his right hand. Knowing that their attacker was readying the second round, the yellow mech tried to run next to his companion, but before he took two steps, the Seeker reappeared. Assuming his bipedal form, the cerulean and black flyer landed on his feet, right in front of Bumblebee who had to stop on his tracks.

"Thundercracker!" The young bot recognized the Seeker, who smirked before shoot at him. Fortunately, the warrior had excellent reflexes, so he didn't break a sweat as he stepped aside and answer the fire.

The Seeker took the hit, but Bumblebee's blaster barely left a scratch on him. The red eyed bot laughed darkly, and looked at his opponent with an eyebrow arched.

"Is that all you got?" He taunted him…

… And, then, he felt a saw running down his back.

Stumbling over, Thundercracker realized his tactic mistake: he forgot the medic. On Knock Out's side, it was the best thing that could've happened to him. Since the Seeker wasn't minding him, the red bot sneaked behind his enemy and attacked; he couldn't deny that he wanted to hurt Thundercracker, to make him suffer, because he _knew_ that he was one of the responsible ones for Millie's condition… When the Seeker tried to get up, he swept his saw again, making another deep cut through the warrior's back. Analyzing Thundercracker's anatomy, he knew where he had to attack: his wings. A flyer is mostly useless without them.

Bumblebee was surprised of seeing the red medic helping him, but, mostly, he was startled by Knock Out's optics that were shining with a complete different shade of red. He was discharging his hate and pain on the Seeker. "If I don't stop him, he will kill him." The yellow bot thought. But, did he want to stop the medic? After all, Thundercracker was a war prisoner… A _runaway_ war prisoner, who was sentenced to spend the rest of his life in stasis. More even: he attacked a human population, and endangered human lives. Those charges could escalate to high treason to Cybertron, and the court ruling for such crimes was immediate termination.

After getting hit by Knock Out's saw on one of his legs, Thundercracker, who miraculously got on his feet, fell on his back. The dirt under him dyed with small drops of Energon that fell from his injuries. Who would say that a small medic, such as this one, could make so much damage? But the red bot wasn't interested in _hurt_ him… he wanted him **_offline_**.

Sighing, however, Bumblebee knew that he couldn't allow it. If somebody was going to pass the toll to the Seeker, it had to be him, not Knock Out. He was the police officer, the red bot was a convict in probation.

Before the medic could connect the final blow onto the flyer, the warrior grabbed his arm, holding him back.

"Let go of me, Bumblebee!" Knock Out snarled in pure hate. He wanted to make this bastard pay for hurting one of his precious friends.

"I know you're hurt, and I know that you wish ill to him, but this isn't the right way." The officer tried to reason with him. "If you kill him under my supervision, then your parole is over, and you will return to jail." The mention of his freedom terms made the medic bite his lip and frown. "You already wasted two million years of your life for them, don't give them this pleasure too."

Growling, Knock Out closed his eyes and put away his saw. Smiling, the yellow bot, deployed his guns and approached Thundercracker, who was covering a deep cut that ran through his wide chest with his right hand. Bumblebee ordered him to surrender.

The 'Con chuckled.

"Autobots…" He mumbled, shaking his head, before look at the warrior in the eyes. "You're so easy to distract…"

"What?"

Someone shot him and Knock Out from behind… And that was the last thing that Bumblebee remembered…

When he woke up, the first thing he saw was a bright white light that was moving in front of his face; then he knew it: it was a flashlight, and Ratchet was examining him. As the old medic's voice started to reach his audio receptors, Bumblebee gasped and jumped off the stretcher, asking for Knock Out. However, he tripped and almost fell onto his face, if it wasn't for Bulkhead who caught him on time.

"Easy there! You've been with your lights out for two hours!" The medic told him, while helping the green bot to stabilize the young warrior.

"Two hours?!" He cried out at the news.

"Yeah, Fowler called saying that you were under attack. But, when we arrived, you were unconscious and Knock Out was nowhere to be found." Arcee, who appeared from behind Bulkhead, said. "What happened?" She asked, crossing her arms.

His audio-receptors were ringing, and his head was drumming wildly. He was hurt, not sure where exactly, but he just knew it… His whole body was tied up, with his hands behind his back; reason why he couldn't free himself. Wait, where was he? Groaning, Knock Out started to open his eyes, noticing that he was suspended upside down from a rusty crane, at some abandon pier; a thick chain was keeping him from falling onto a wild sea. "This isn't Jasper…" He thought, looking around, noticing that it was late night already, while, back on Nevada, it was past noon. Examining his surroundings, the medic decided that it was pointless to simply remain still, so he tried to lose his bindings; but quickly desisted as the crane threatened with give in, sending him to the depths of the ocean.

"Don't." A firm voice stated, accompanied with the echo of big, strong steps. Finally, a red optic shined on the shadows, revealing the medic's captor.

"Shockwave?" Knock Out asked, pretending not to know that the scientist was back on the planet.

Finally, the tall violet mech was merely three feet away, right in front of the Velocitronian, whose optics soon noticed that Thundercracker and Skywarp were standing behind the former chief scientist. The cerulean Seeker was still massaging the cut he opened onto his chest; the other one simply crossed his arms, uninterested on whatever was going on. Knock Out looked back at the scientist.

"New assistants?" He mocked the flyers with a half-smile. It made the Seekers stiff their wings in disgust, obviously hating to be called that. The medic's smile simply widened at their reaction. "Clearly not."

"Shut up." Shockwave ordered, firmly as usual, before look at the red bot's face, and point at it with his cannon. "We require your abilities. You will comply, or you will lose your life."

Though a little bit scared of having the scientist's barrel inches away from his face, Knock Out knew that the last thing we wanted was to show fear. If he did so, he was doomed.

"What life?" He retorted, narrowing his eyes and arching an eyebrow. "Trust me, you will be making me a favor if you terminate me…" He added, rolling his eyes.

"Is that so?" A hoarse voice wondered in the back of the room.

Soft, slow footsteps started to echo in the place, as the fourth Decepticon walked towards their prisoner. A few drops of Energon fell from some injured joint, while the figure approached; at the same time, the Seekers opened road for this newcomer, and Shockwave turned to look at him. Finally, after a while, the last runaway Decepticon revealed himself: Starscream. It was hard for Knock Out to recognize his previous commander, since the Seeker was covered in rough patches, his knee joints were about to collapse, and his left wing was barely holding onto his back. The fact that he was still alive was little more than a miracle.

The medic's eyes widened at the mech's appearance.

"Starscream…? What happened to you?" He couldn't help but wonder.

"A little… argument with the predacons… As you see, it left me with some dents." The Seeker said, before smile maliciously. "I was hoping you could help me with my recovery."

"Aha… And what's in it for me?"

"Not your life, of course. You're still a traitor." The air commander said, straightening up. "But, if you consider to fix me, I might consider to spare the human clinic…" He added, with his typical cynicism.

The medic tried to keep his calm, but it was useless… Skywarp and Thundercracker saw him at the hospital's parking lot; they knew that he worried for the humans that got hurt because of him. If he denied his interest, then Starscream would order the attack, and not only Millie would pay the price, but Agent Fowler and Jack's mother as well. He couldn't allow it… Knock Out knew that he had to keep his cool more than ever; yet, when he realized that Skywarp was practically offering himself to destroy the building, his temper took the best of him again, and, before noticing, he was glaring daggers at Starscream, while growling under his breath.

"If you even dare to _think_ about attacking the hospital, then I…"

"What will you do? Sass us to death?" The air commander mocked him, and shrugged to stress his point. "Your new friend Bumblebee tried to stop Thundercracker this morning, and, yet, here we are…"

"It tickled." The cerulean Seeker mocked, crossing his arms and shrugging, while a wide smirk appeared on his lips.

"Well, it looks like my saw did more than just _tickle_ you; am I right, 'Cracker?" The red mech taunted the flyer, who almost charged against him, if it wasn't for Shockwave who quickly stopped him. "And about you, Screamer, I do not expect you to forgive my life. However, if you fail in killing me, then I will hunt you, I will catch you, and (trust me) I will torture you… I will make you suffer so much, for so long, that you will _beg me_ to terminate you!"

"That's _if_ I fail." The grey Seeker added to his prisoner's speech, before turn away. "Put him down, he has work to do…"

At those orders, Skywarp and Thundercracker grabbed the medic, and put him onto the firm ground, while Shockwave broke the chains.

Meanwhile, the Autobots were in total panic, as they were trying to figure how to track the red medic with a half functional scanner; not to mention that, since Knock Out didn't wear his old faction's badge, he didn't have a beacon they could follow. To make it worst, if the Seekers took him to one of Shockwave's hideaways, there were high chances that the chief scientist would be wearing a cloaking technology that wouldn't allow them to receive any signal… Exasperated, Ratchet sighed at the same time he hit the keyboard. There must be something he wasn't considering; there must be a way to find the medic on time…

Behind the old bot, Bumblebee was sitting on a box, with his elbows resting on his tights and his head hanging between his shoulders. It was a failure on his side, and, to make it worst, since he lost his watch upon the medic, this could affect his parole terms… Knock Out could go back to jail because of this, even when he didn't do anything wrong. He needed to find him, and fast! Before, either, the Council learns about today's incident, or Starscream decides to rip his spark out of his chest!

The sound of the elevator called everyone's attention as Smokescreen, Wheeljack and Arcee returned from their round. Next to them, Fowler also appeared in the control room, asking if there was any progress.

"No. Knock Out does not counts with the Decepticons' faction symbol, meaning that he doesn't counts with a beacon we can track. Also, we must consider the possibilities of Shockwave's cloaking technology preventing us from finding him." Ratchet explained, as calmly as he could.

"Dammit!" The black man cursed, while frowning, crossing his arms and averting his eyes. "Alright, then, what're our options?" He asked, losing his patience.

"Calm down, Fowler. We're doing the best we can." Wheeljack said.

"There must be other way…" The old medic mumbled, while scratching the back of his head.

"Um… Ratchet, didn't you tell us that your spark-beats are unique?" Jack, suddenly commented.

"And, how do you know this, Jack?" Arcee wondered out loud, arching an eyebrow.

"What? We've learned a thing or two about your species in this two years, guys." The teenager shrugged, before turn to look at the orange and white bot once again. "Is there any way to track _his_ pulse?"

The old bot hummed, while thinking about that option. It was plausible, but he needed a copy of Knock Out's pulse for it to work, and he didn't count with it. Fortunately, Bumblebee jumped off his chair, saying that he knew where to find it.

Starscream was lying on a makeshift stretcher, surrounded by medical equipment of the highest quality. "Stolen, no doubt…" Knock Out thought, looking at the tables of instrumental that the Seekers and Shockwave prepared for him. It made him shudder to think that he was about to repair the former air commander who openly admitted that was planning to kill him later; but, what other options did he have? If he didn't comply, the hospital would pay the price… and Millie with it. Of course that, even if he healed the Seeker, there was no guarantee that he would forgive the clinic; but, then again, he didn't have much of an option. Besides, this reconstructive surgery would take a long while; it would give Bumblebee enough time to find him… right?

Biting his lip, the medic disinfected his hands, and readied himself to begin; all under the vigilant eyes of Skywarp and Thundercracker, who were ready to shoot his head off at the first fishy move.

Thanks the stars that Ultra Magnus answered their call, otherwise they didn't know what to do. The blue and orange bot looked a little stunned by the sudden videoconference in the middle of the night, especially because he had an awful day with the Council ―the bots got to know that he was suspended, since the Council got to know about his links with Predaking; and because he was yet investigating Darkmount, despite he was told to stay away from it. However, it did called his attention to notice that Knock Out was nowhere to be found.

"That's exactly why we're calling! Starscream got to him!" Fowler kicked into the conversation, never minding that Ratchet told him to stand down, that he would handle it.

"What? How?" The commander couldn't hide his surprise at such news (honestly, he was expecting to hear that the red mech ran away at the first chance he had, not that he got captured).

"Skywarp and Thundercracker. They ambushed us, and we weren't able to answer the attack." Bumblebee explained, ashamed and averting visual contact with his superior. "It was my fault, I should've been faster to counterattack…" He added, earning a sympathetic look from Rafael.

Ultra Magnus sighed and massaged his temples.

"What do you need?" He asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Bumblebee told us about Knock Out's accident at Cybertron. I require a copy of his vitals." Ratchet said, gaining an inquisitive look since the commander didn't understand how that would help to find the missing prisoner. However, if it was somehow useful, he would try to get it for them… Only, one problem…

"Ugh… The new policies…" The warrior sighed, right after accepting to help. "Any copy of someone's vitals must be documented, and there must be a signed permission of the patient. Without Knock Out's permission I can't do a thing. I'm sorry." He explained, knowing that all the medics on the planet were tied to the same terms.

"What?!" Miko yelled from the catwalk.

"Does it means that you can't do anything, _at all_?" Jack asked.

The Wrecker apologized for being useless in this emergency, but asked if there was anything else he could do to help. "Maybe…" Ratchet didn't know if he was back on the planet, but, if he was… Suddenly, the old medic asked Ultra Magnus if an old medic called Pharma was back on Cybertron. The blue mech nodded, saying that he tended one of his men when his incursion in Darkmount went wrong. It made the white and orange bot smile.

"He's an old friend of mine! And I assure you that if you ask him a favor in my name, he won't mind the policies!" The medic stated.

"It's worth the try. Give me five klicks." Then, the commander hung up.

"Let's hope Knock Out is fine." Bulkhead commented as soon as the call ended.

If this didn't work, they ran out of ideas.

* * *

 **This is all for now. Hope you liked it!**

 **Please let me know what you think!**

 **See ya soon!**


	20. NINETEEN: Knocked Out

**Hello, there. I don't usually update this quickly, but given that I've received two constructive criticim, I felt the need to answer.**

 **To Gst :**

 **You're right, Knock Out is OOC... But, it's because I'm trying to show that he's struggling between the person he was when he was a Neutral, and the one he became after joining the Decepticons. So... Yes, there are some OOC episodes for the character.**

 **Oh! And about the Omega Locks, I took a poetic license there. When I watched the show it kind of called my attention that, while Starscream was ready to start cutting off some heads, Knock Out shrugged off the fact that Cybertron got doomed to remain as a wasteland for all eternity; after all, the other Decepticons' Energon was boiling, while he just comes up with the joke "Well, let's cancel the welcome party..." as if it wasn't a big deal, or as if he was expecting this to happen.**

 **And, about the Omega Lock 2.0, I remember him complaining the whole time because Shockwave and Ratchet took over his lab. He didn't exactly participated of the machine's creation, nor when the other two scientist came up with the formula for the cybermatter. He was jus pouting because he was being treated as a lab assistant... So it wasn't hard for me to twist these episodes a little and say that he didn't approved that Megatron was fool enough to threat Earth in front of Optimus Prime; nor that, when the second Lock was built, he didn't know the full lenght of the plan.**

 **To WhereIsLogic :**

 **If you want stupidity, remember that Skywarp is back... Anyway, I didn't kill anybody because according to my fic, the place was full with children. Take it as author's mercy towards unnamed characters, because, as I said a couple chapters ago, I have a limit when it comes to be cruel with them.  
**

 **In other news, you made me notice that I haven't actually explained the series of events that turned the Neutral-Knock Out into the Decepticon-Knock Out of my story. Now, the fanfic is far from end, and there are yet some plot twists to come. However, I have wrote already thirty chapters with only partial explanations of the medic's past. So, I will add a scene in which Knock Out explains his shitty desicions from his point of view, I promise; though you'll have to wait to read it...**

 **And, now, about the logic/illogic matter: let's be honest for a moment there. Nobody behaves according to sound logic the 100% of the time (unless you're the real-live version of Shockwave)... Major part of our poor choices happens because we were driven by some violent emotion that didn't let us think through. The character's background is not different. He was driven by hate and anger, and made the worst desicion of his entire life; and, about the oxymoron between the Knock Out who wants to protect Millie and the one who had no problem killing Autobots, I have already stated that the red mech did** ** _what he had to_** **in order to survive. Another primitive emotion: fear, and in** ** _Transformers Prime_** **he is constantly depicted as a coward. Also, sometimes, the exposure to extreme situations can trigger psychological issues, including a complete fall into madness... And the live among the 'Cons, I think, qualifies as an extreme situation. Besides, let's face it, some of the greatest characters in Universal Literature aren't motivated by logic. There's _always_ some madness behind their actions...**

 **And, now, to both: the story is called _Redemption_ , a title that wouldn't make sense if the main character didn't feel guilty of some sins that he wants to redeem...**

 **I hope to have explained myself properly.**

 **Warning: English isn't my mother language, so you may find some grammar mistakes in here. Sorry.  
**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own _Transformers_ franchise, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **NINETEEN: Knocked Out**

It was late night on Cybertron, and its population was getting ready to go to recharge. All except one blue truck, which was in a race against time, honking other vehicles out of the way as he drove recklessly towards the capital's clinic, hoping that that guy was still there. As the lights of the building came into view, he started to reduce the speed, but not enough to park. Jumping off the road, Ultra Magnus transformed and ran inside the clinic, asking for Pharma's whereabouts. The receptionist, startled, simply nodded, before shakily look for the medic's name at the database. Apparently, he was still on the clinic; however, he was with a patient…

Ok, the commander didn't hear this last part, since, as soon as he saw the room's number in the screen, he ran off.

The old medic was fixing a laborer who fell off a catwalk, when his team was rebuilding a tower; next to him was First Aid, a young trainee who ended up working as a medical officer during the war, though he haven't finished his studies yet.

Needless to say that, when the tall commander of the Wreckers stormed into the room, looking for Pharma, the alluded bot simply ―and rudely― ordered him to leave, stating that he was with a patient.

Ultra Magnus, once again, ignored the comments, as he grabbed the old bot by the arm, demanding a copy of Knock Out's vitals. First Aid, seeing the hostility that this intruder was showing towards his mentor, ran to call security; but was held back by the Wrecker who told him that it wasn't needed, because he was a law enforcer (though he omitted to say that he was suspended). Pharma nodded at his trainee, gesturing him to calm down, and to tend their patient, who still was in stasis-lock; then, he looked at the taller bot.

"Sir, to do what you ask, I require the patient's permission. Do you have it with you?" He said, looking straight into Ultra Magnus's eyes.

"No, I don't have it, because Knock Out has been hijacked!" He retorted, angrily.

"Then, there's nothing I can…"

"I came in name of Ratchet." The Wrecker added quickly.

There was a glint of something bordering the doubt in the medic's eyes, who stared with wide eyes at the commander's face, pondering whether he was saying the truth or not. In the end, Pharma sighed and, freeing himself from the Wrecker, went to the mainframe's access and downloaded something into a datapad. Then, after making sure it was the right information, the old bot handed it over to Ultra Magnus; however, before the blue mech was able to grab it, the other one pulled it away.

"This never happened." Pharma said, dead serious, frowning. The warrior nodded, understanding the implications of this. Only then, the medic gave him the datapad. "Go, and tell Ratchet that I wish him luck." He said, while going back to his patient.

"Thank you."

That said, Ultra Magnus left the room, and rushed towards his apartment; it was the only place in the planet where he would be able to speak freely with his friends who were on Earth.

The surgery was taking a long time, in part because Starscream had some challenging wounds (starting with the one on his wing, which's wiring wasn't easy to repair), and, in part because Knock Out was making time for the Autobots to find him. He peered at his captors from the corner of his eye, while his hands did the job from memory: Skywarp and Thundercracker were starting to grow impatient. A couple minutes ago, they almost shot him off, saying that he was tricking them, which was true, but he needed to come up with an excuse to preserve his life. The medic told them that it was a complicated surgery, so it was only natural for it to take a while; otherwise, the patient may end with some nasty side effects…

Though they didn't believe him, none of the Seekers bothered him again. "C'mon, Bumblebee; where are you?" The red bot thought, while struggling with the wing's nerves and articulators.

Back at the Autobots base, Ratchet was downloading Knock Out's vitals into their mainframe; at the same time, he was scanning the planet's surface, looking for any sort of jamming signal. Finally, the download was finished, and the old medic could start to upload the data, so they could start looking for the red bot.

"Is there anything else I can assist you with?" Ultra Magnus wondered.

"No by the moment." Ratchet answered, never turning away from the keyboard, as he typed at max-speed the codes to activate the secondary scanners. "But we'll let you know if something else shows up." He added, looking at his friend.

"Understood. Good luck."

The blue bot hung up.

"So, what do we do now?" Jack asked out loud, walking towards Rafael, who was helping the medic with the search of jamming signals.

"Cross your fingers, and wait." The old bot said. "That's all we can do…" He added looking at the teenager.

"Um, guys?" Rafael called, raising a hand while looking at the screen of his laptop. "We got a hit!"

Starscream was starting to wake up; the surgery was over, and Knock Out was starting to fear that the Autobots would never find him… Well, not alive for that matter. A part of him was even starting to doubt if they were even searching for him. After all, what was the worst thing that could happen to Bumblebee if he died? Ultra Magnus spanking his hands, while giving him another mission? The kid was a hero back home, nobody would mind a Decepticon going missing forever… He was a fool for believing that life was giving him a second chance. There's no such thing. Once you lost your chance, you lost it. Period. Move on.

The air commander, still a little dizzy for the stasis, got off the surgery table and walked a couple steps. His body felt like new, and there was no evidence of the dents that Predaking made him. The Seeker examined his body with a pleased smile, seeing that he was, once again, the old and glorious Starscream; and, now, he was capable of lead his fellow flyers on their revenge on the Autobots.

"Well, I've got to say, doctor: you haven't lost your touch…" The grey mech commented, almost hissed, after examining his claws.

"You're welcome." The red bot retorted, rudely, crossing his arms.

Slightly offended by the medic's attitude, the commander's lips crisped in disgust before he turned around to look at his prisoner face to face. Knock Out was, however, unamused and unimpressed, knowing what his fate was. In other times, they wouldn't have been like this… Starscream could yet remember when this red mech was the only crew's member who didn't have plans to obliterate him. "Before he double-crossed you, of course." He told himself, when the memory of that day, back at the _Nemesis_ , when the medic delivered him to the Autobots in exchange of his freedom, reappeared. Well, so far for switching sides…

With a devilish smile, the grey bot ordered his subordinates to terminate their prisoner. Both, Thundercracker and Skywarp, enjoyed the order, as they readied their guns to shoot; Shockwave, on the other hand, ordered them to stand down and called Starscream apart. "Huh… Now, that's interesting…" Knock Out thought as he saw the scientist talk with the warrior afar from him and the Seekers. It seemed to be pretty serious stuff, since Starscream suddenly scratched his chin at the same time he glanced towards the medic. He was considering Shockwave's words. Then, with a sigh and a nod, the flyer seemed to give in.

"Scratch my previous order. We're taking him with us." He corrected himself.

"What?! Why?! He already fulfilled his utility for us!" The purple Seeker asked, surprised by this unexpected turn of tables.

"Not quite… Shockwave has bigger plans for him, and I'm sure he will cooperate." The air commander said, while walking towards Knock Out. "Otherwise…"

"I know…" The red bot interrupted him, tensing his shoulders and closing his eyes. "You will destroy the clinic…" He added, sighing in rage, while opening his eyes.

"See? Now we're coming to an understanding."

"Let's see if you understand this: Don't move!"

Startled, the four Decepticons and Knock Out turned to see who the intruder was, finding out that Bumblebee and the other Autobots were on the warehouse, aiming at them with their weapons. The red medic couldn't describe his relief at their intrusion. They _were_ looking for him! He almost felt bad for doubting them a couple minutes ago… However, when Starscream's plasma cannon was suddenly plastered against his forehead, the red bot remembered that it was yet too soon to celebrate, since he was still a prisoner of the Seekers.

"Um… A little help?" He pleaded, raising his hands, trying not to make funny moves, or the air commander would kill him despite of whatever Shockwave told him before.

"Let him go, Starscream." Bumblebee ordered, now aiming specifically at the grey bot's head.

"Put your weapons down, or I'll shoot him!" Was his only answer.

Beside the commander, the other two Seekers and Shockwave were, also, ready to fight. Things weren't looking good, and it was getting even worse, since Wheeljack took out his swords, and was threatening with start chopping anything on his way at any second. He needed to think fast, or nobody would make it out of there… "Wait, nobody is looking at me…" Knock Out realized when he examined the Decpeticons around him; they were all looking at the Autobots, expecting to be attacked anytime now. It was his chance: with one quick move, he transformed, avoiding the few shots that Thundercracker threw at him on the process; then, he revved his engine and hurried to reach Bumblebee and the others, who were giving him cover fire.

Arcee called back to base and a ground-bridge opened behind the bots.

But the plan failed…

Once Shockwave saw that he was running away, the scientist aimed for the red Aston Martin, impacting him fully. As a result, the medic flew off course, and rolled a few feet away from the Autobots, who impotently saw him crash against a wall, where he finally came to a halt and transformed. Bumblebee and Smokescreen went to tend the red bot, while the others threw themselves to battle. Yet, once again, Skywarp took everyone out of there before being caught.

Seeing that they failed, Arcee growled out loud, frustrated and pissed, getting one friendly pat on the shoulder from Bulkhead, who was feeling exactly the same.

"Scrap!"

The two Wreckers and the femme turned at Smokescreen's swear, realizing that Knock Out was lying completely unconscious, and with a huge burn on one of his sides.

"Is he okay?" The green mech asked, while walking up to the injured medic.

"I guess… Ratchet will have to scan him." The yellow warrior said, once he made sure that the medic was still alive. With a sigh, he grabbed one of Knock Out's arms and passed it around his shoulders. "Smokescreen, help me to take him back." He asked.

"Sure."

Then, the Elite Guard passed the red bot's other arm around his shoulders, and, between both of them, they returned the former Decepticon to safety.

* * *

He couldn't say that he was surprised of finding her needing a medic, but he was sure pissed of seeing why… The first two or three times, okay, he understood; she was at the battlefront and, either fall into an ambush, or stepped onto a mine, or (her personal best) ran into a frigging army without notice. But this… this was already too much, even for him…

"And what was it this time? Mega-Troll himself?" He sighed, crossing his arms and examining the femme's wounds, so he could start the treatment.

"Ha! I wish…" She said, somewhat amused by the idea, while Knock Out started to scan her for internal damage. "Just imagine me running into that good-for-nothing gladiator; all I need is a lucky shot and… Bam! No more war." She laughed.

"Or no more Sunscorch…" He reminded her, while reading the scan results. Nothing too serious; good, at least she didn't hurt anything too important.

"Party pooper…" The warrior mocked him, with a crocked smile and an arched eyebrow.

"Ugh… You and Breakdown are so alike…" He mumbled while grabbing the required equipment. "One of this days I'll be attending your funeral instead of your wounds…" He added, with a disappointed look.

"Oh, so you worry about lil' old me!" She mocked him, receiving a glare.

"Of course I worry! We're friends, aren't we?!" Knock Out retorted, frowning. Then he relaxed and looked at the ceiling as if trying to think about something. "Though I still don't know how that happened…"

"Simple: I punched you in the face and, yet, you preferred to attend my wounds instead of terminate me…" She shrugged, though it made her yelp in pain, but tried not to show it. "Good medics can't be bad persons…" The femme added, though her voice sounded hoarser than she intended.

The red mech smiled at the comment… But quickly double checked her wounds. Some of them were incredibly deep; the fact that she didn't suffered any life-threatening wound was something nearing a miracle. However, when he bended over her side, the medic couldn't help but to notice a large acid mark that stained her torso and part of her left leg. He needed to clean that, in case there were corrosive residuals threatening her protective shell's integrity. Unless he removed it all, her body would not heal properly. "I hope it's not too damaged…" He hoped, while slightly poking the injured area with his index. As soon as he slightly touched it, Sunscorch jerked in pain, and the metal under his finger almost gave in. It was too degraded; he needed to fix that ASAP.

"I need to move quickly if we want to save your husk. I'll bring the stasis canisters so we can begin." He said and tried to leave, but she stopped him by grabbing his hand. He turned to look at her with surprised eyes. "What's wrong, Sun?" She looked petrified. Was it something he said? "Hey…" He walked closer to her, slightly returning the grip on his hand. "Hey, you okay? What happened?"

"How bad is it…?" She asked.

"It's a massive surgery the one I must perform." He didn't really wanted to give her the whole description of her condition. Her body was covered in so many dents, bruises, holes and stuff that he practically would have to remake her from scratch. "Why?"

"How're the twins…?"

"They're… yet unconscious, but they'll be fine…" Right. The twins were also in an awful shape…

What happened on the battlefield? He opened his mouth to ask, but she was faster…

"A femme… I've never saw her before. She came out of nowhere; but she was small so I didn't mind her too much… Until she spited acid on me…" Sunscorch chuckled bitterly. "Stupid me… I should've shot her as soon as I saw her crawling from behind those pillars…"

"Hey, at least you're alive, right?" He tried to make her feel better. The warrior chuckled and nodded with a bright smile, before allow him to leave her.

Fortunately, right outside of his consulting room, he found a nurse who could bring him some stasis canisters; however, it would be one less asset than needed, because the soldiers hasn't resupplied them yet, so they were saving as much equipment as they could. "Not yet? Breakdown, where are you?" He wondered, worried, looking at the field clinic's entrance. He knew that his friend loved to hang around his other best buddie, Bulkhead, and the other Wreckers whenever they ran into each other in the field, but he wanted to believe that he didn't do anything too stupid… Right?

He returned to Sunscorch's side, still wondering about his best friend's whereabouts, clearly worried. The femme noticed this.

"Did something happened?"

"Breakdown and the other warriors who were supposed to deliver the new supplies haven't returned yet… I'm worried." He said, scratching the back of his head.

"Hey, it's Break… He sure is fine, and will appear any moment now, laughing about something that happened during his trip; I'm sure." She said, trying to comfort him. Of course that, since she was the one lying on a stretcher, any word that came out of her mouth would have less effect than wanted, but still… "You said that he's just like me, didn't you?" He nodded. "Then relax. I don't break so easy, so I'm sure he doesn't either."

"Thanks for trying to make me feel better, but…" He, then, growled and crossed his arms, while impatiently tapping the floor with one of his feet. "I can't! It's in my nature to worry and overthink everything!" He admitted, almost biting his thumb.

Not many knew that about him, but, for some stupid reason, it was easy to talk to this femme. They usually trusted each other with secrets that they never shared with anybody; such as the details of when she was a prisoner in Kaon City, or the fact that he usually suffers stress and panic attacks whenever something was wrong.

Suddenly, a hand gently took his, pulling it out of his mouth. Without his notice, Sunscorch got off the stretcher and walked up to him…

"What're you doing?!" He snapped at his friend. "Go back to the stretcher before…!"

"He will be fine, I will be fine, everyone will be fine…" She reassured him, stroking his hand, just like a carrier would do it. Since she was a head taller than him, Knock Out had to look up in order to look at her in the eyes. "Better?" She asked, letting go…

* * *

Groaning, in pain, Knock Out's eyes met with a flashlight dancing right in front of his face, while Ratchet's voice confirmed his regained consciousness. The voices of the other Autobots sounded in the back of the room; obviously, they dragged him back to their base after find him at that abandoned warehouse. "Ugh… My… everything…" He thought, while struggling to get up.

The older medic put down the flashlight as soon as he realized his patient's intentions, and hurried to help him up, while asking him to be careful. The red mech nodded, and slid his legs off the stretcher; only then he noticed the nasty burn on his right side. The memory of Shockwave shooting at him to prevent his escape returned to his processor, and his eyes reddened, remembering his time with the runaway Seekers, and the way that Starscream threatened Millie's welfare… Well, actually he threatened the whole hospital staff and patients, but the only human he really cared about was that little girl, who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"Where's Bumblebee?" Knock Out asked, furious. He needed to share what he knew with the yellow bot, immediately.

"At the control room, with the others."

And the red medic stormed out of the room like a red blur, looking for the officer in charge of him. The young bot was, indeed, at the control room, surrounded by everybody else, including the humans; and they were all staring at the screens, looking for any clues of where the Decepticons were hiding. Knock Out cleared his throat to gain their attention.

"Doc-Knock! You're up!" Miko cheered from the catwalk.

"First: stop calling me that!" He told the human, while walking up to the group. "Second: I believe it's time for you to call Ultra Magnus, and demand him to share whatever information he acquired at Darkmount!" He added, looking straight at Bumblebee.

"It's not that simple… The Council suspended him." Bulkhead said, with a shrug.

"We just talk to him. Prowl is trying to decode the database, but it's having trouble… The countermeasures of Shockwave are impressive." The youngest warrior admitted with a sigh. "They promised to contact us as soon as they have something."

"That's not good enough!" The medic growled. "Whatever they want, Shockwave is on his way to recover it!" He yelled, raising his fists. "And, on top of that, they will try to hijack me all over again as soon as they figure that I'm still alive!"

"Wait, what?" Arcee interrupted, gesturing him to elaborate that last comment.

"Starscream was seconds away from killing me, but Shockwave told him to stop. Those two had a little talk in private, and, all of the sudden, the idiotic commander decided to spare my life. They still needed me… Though I couldn't hear what for…" He admitted, a little ashamed.

It led to hours of arguing, trying to figure out what the 'Cons were up to; but, as the night started to fall, the kids had to go (especially Miko, who was the first in say goodbye), and the bots needed to go to rest. Nearing midnight, the only one still up was Ratchet, who wasn't able to sleep thanks to his worries, so he decided to make a quick check on the equipment at the medical bay, hoping that it would calm him down and allow him to go to recharge. He couldn't hide his surprise when his gaze met Knock Out's silhouette as the red mech read the report that the older bot wrote after treating his wounds. Of course, the burn was completely gone; the younger medic must've buffed himself as soon as he returned to his quarters.

"May I help you?" Ratchet asked out loud, entering the room.

Knock Out simply shook his head, but didn't turn to look at him.

"Then, may I ask what are you…?"

"You know, don't you?" The Velocitronian asked with a sigh.

He sounded depressed, and somewhat hurt, as if the older bot learned about some big secret. But what could it be? He didn't remember to have violated his privacy in any way. It wasn't until he looked at the giant screens in front of the red bot that he understood the question… Knock Out wasn't just reading the diagnosis of his most recent injuries; he discovered that Ratchet opened a new file with his name on it, and that it contained a copy of his medical history… His _complete_ medical history.

Sighing, the old bot nodded, though his guest wasn't looking at him, and placed his hands at the sides of his hip. Yes, he knew… He was yet trying to swallow it: while the others left the base, Ratchet saved the new information on his private medical files, and examined it on the process; that's how he got to know that Knock Out was from Velocitron's Colony, and that he had a…

"Your glitch." The head medic stated, receiving a single, slow, meaningful nod. "If that's what's keeping you awake, I assure you that only I've read your file. Nobody else here knows about it." He explained, while walking up to the other mech, who slowly put aside the records he has been reading for over two hours now, mortified by the mere idea of his secret coming out of the darkness in which he tried to bury it.

"Thanks…" Knock Out finally said, softly, almost sighing, while turning around to look at the Autobot. "I… I would like to keep this between you and me. Nobody needs to know that I'm the _only_ Velocitronian in history, who can't run in the Speedia 500…" He asked, averting his eyes.

"No problem. Professional doctor-patient secrecy." Ratchet reassured him, shrugging. He has been doing this job for so long that this wasn't a bother… By now, he knew more about his friends than they knew about themselves.

At the mention of one of the many medic's rules, the red bot huffed with a smirk on his lips, and dreamy eyes, as if he suddenly remembered something of his own past. Then, he looked at his companion, gave him a nod, and started to walk away. His concerns were gone.

The older bot, however, had one question about this discovery:

"But, I have to ask, was this the reason why you studied medicine?"

"Yes." The younger medic answered, turning around to look at the white and orange bot. "I wanted to understand my condition, see if there was some sort of treatment…" He explained, slightly touching his chest-plates. "In the end… I was happier as a doctor on Cybertron, than I ever was as a racer on Velocitron." He chuckled at this point. "Though I can't deny that, sometimes, I do miss Delta City… where I grew…"

Then, with a sigh, Knock Out wished his new found friend good night, and retrieved to his quarters. Meanwhile, Ratchet decided to turn off the medical bay's system and go back to sleep, glad to know that Bumblebee's hard work was giving its results.

* * *

 **That's all for now.**

 **As always, let me know what you think.**

 **Bye!**


	21. TWENTY: New Discoveries

**Hello, beautiful people! How're you doing? Hope you're doing fine!**

 **I've officially finished another chapter, so I'm in a very good mood. Is it too obvious? XD**

 **Hi, again, Gst! Thanks for your reviews!**

 **Now, about the surveillance thing in the fic; it's true that I didn't made Knock Out evacuate the hospital... because I didn't thought about it at the moment. However, I said that the Autobots held a long debate after the Velocitronian woke up, so they might've decided to keep watch over the building during it. Anyway, remember that, in the show, Optimus and the others were warned about many Decepticon attacks by Fowler, when they were supposed to be in a war... and looking after Megatron and his army...**

 **And about Ratchet's and Knock Out's talk, I setted it at late night when everybody else was sleeping (they were supposed to be asleep too), but their worries (Rathet over all the things that were going on, Knock Out about his glitch becoming a public thing) didn't let them. They were just looking to calm down to be capable to recharge in peace.**

 **As to why I decided to use Megatron's medic as my main character, the only answer that I can come up with is: because I saw an opportunity for a story. I mean, the character had no backstory, whatsoever, was a deficient warrior during the show (used as comical relief), and he was the only 'Con who switched sides (and the only one, besides Breakdown, who doesn't have the faction symbol). Also, he grew into me along the show.**

 **It mades me happy that you liked the story, though you don't like the character. It means that I must've done something right! Haha!**

 **Well, let's go back to our bussiness. This chapter will take place on Cybertron!**

 **Warning: English isn't my mother language, so there might be some grammar mistakes. Sorry.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own** ** _Transformers_** **franchise, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **TWENTY: New Discoveries**

Prowl's processor was aching as if a hydraulic press was trying to break it. Not only was he dealing with the Council, who was looking for any excuse they could find to fire commander Ultra Magnus, but he was also helping the suspended police enforcer in complete secrecy. The decryption of the files he downloaded at Darkmount was taking longer than expected, and, honestly, he was starting to consider to hire a clerk, if it would make things move faster… The night before, his little brother, Side Burn, called to check up on him; of course that the cop tried to bluff him, saying that everything was fine, but a bad covered yawn told the younger bot that something was definitely out of place. "This job is going to kill me…" He thought, while taking a long, long sip of his Energon.

The white and black bot was at a newly opened bar, not too far, nor too close to the police department. It was the only place where he could work on the decryption without worry of being followed. Yes, he was also starting to feel that the Council put a tail on him; and, though many would believe he was developing some paranoia, the fact that, two days ago, Ultra Magnus told him not to meet with him for a while only confirmed his fears: they were under surveillance. "Well, they can follow me as far as they want… I know how to cover my tracks." He thought, while taking another sip of his drink, with his eyes fixed on his datapad. It took him weeks, but he has decoded part of the text. Not much, but something was better than nothing. However, there was a word that was troubling him; it was a name, actually, one that was mentioned many times in the Intel he download, and that he was sure he heard before, but he just couldn't put his finger on it. "If I search for it in the police mainframe, the Council will know that I'm still investigating Shockwave, and helping commander Ultra Magnus." He realized, as he considered his options.

Prowl knew that to access the police database from inside would be suicidal (at least for his career as police enforcer), but, unfortunately for the Council, he was one of the Triplets… Grinning, the bot sub-spaced the datapad, paid for his drink, and exited the bar, while calling for his brothers, asking them to meet at X-Brawn's apartment.

The three of them were well-known long and wide because they were triplets, not twins. Spark-twins are usually two; they can look alike or not, but they are only two, not three. The medics never knew how was it possible for them to have born from the same spark, especially because their bodies matured at different pace. But there was no doubt that they were triplets, their sparks didn't lie, nor their genetic print.

Of course that the oldest brother was confused by the sudden call, but he received his siblings, nevertheless. Side Burn arrived shortly after Prowl, saying that he couldn't stay long, because he had to go back to the Academy before the next class starts. The cop smiled.

"Good, because that's where I need to go." He said.

"Wait, what?" The blue brother said, startled.

"I need remote access to the police mainframe, and the Academy has one."

"Remote access? Why? Did you get fired or something?" X-Brawn asked, worried for the middle brother, who has been in a difficult position the past few weeks.

"What?! No! Nothing like that! Calm down, X. Everything's fine, I promise." Prowl assured him, while placing a hand on his older brother's right shoulder. "But I've been working on a case that doesn't count with the Council's approval, so…"

"Wait! Hold on!" Side Burn interrupted him, while leaning closer to the white and black bot, who was slightly taller than him. "Does this has anything to do with your little incursion on Darkmount?"

The cop's silence said it all.

"Prowl! Are you out of your mind?!" The elder snapped at his sibling, who flinched at the sudden yell. "You spent five solar-cycles lying on a stretcher after that!" He reminded him, pointing at the cop's chest with his index finger. "If Ultra Magnus has suicidal tendencies, then that's his problem! But, if you're risking _your_ life because of him, then I…!"

"But he's right!" The middle brother shout back, startling the other two. His eyebrows were frowned and his fists were clenched. He was decided to finish the mission, one way or another; and not even X-Brawn would stop him. "He's right about Shockwave, about the Seekers, about those criminals having ulterior intentions; he's right about everything! I only need proofs, but the Council will not help, because Earth isn't among our colonies! And, if they find out that I'm still investigating that mad scientist…!"

"So that's why you need the Academy's access?" Side Burn suddenly wondered, earning his brothers attention. The cop lowered his gaze, relaxing.

The Elite Guard sighed and scratched the back of his neck, recognizing the admiration on Prowl's eyes; it was the same face he made when he entered the Academy and met with Sentinel Prime and Alpha Trion. If any of them were still alive, and came up to him, asking for assistance… No. He wouldn't doubt it either, he would've jumped into action without thinking. And, besides, Prowl has always been the more logical of the three, so he must've his reasons to behave this way, doesn't he? He should trust his brother, right? He should help him, shouldn't he? Also, if not, those runaway Decepticons would attack an innocent species (which he has never seen, but he heard the stories from Smokescreen, and he saw the love in his friend's eyes whenever he talked about that planet…). As an Elite Guard, he swore to serve and protect the innocent, so…

After settling his thoughts, Side Burn agreed to help his brother, who gave him a flash-drive for him to copy whatever information he could find. The blue and yellow mech arched an eyebrow, and looked at the cop quizzically. Information about what? He didn't say what he needed, and, honestly, he assumed that Prowl would come with him…

"I can't… Security cameras. I helped to install them myself. Trust me, there's no such thing as blind spots…" The law enforcer explained. "But, don't worry. Just keep your commlink open in our personal frequency, and I will guide you through this mission." He added, patting his younger brother's shoulder.

"Okay… I guess…" Side Burn mumbled, not really sure about this, and starting to have second thoughts already…

But, again, it was Prowl and he could trust him. So, sighing, he sub-spaced the flash-drive. In five kliks he would've to leave the house and return to the Academy; but he decided to stay as long as he could. Meanwhile, he started to plan how to justify the little research that he was about to perform. Even when it wasn't the Police Department's system, the Academy's mainframe kept a data log of every single piece of information that was copied or investigated. If someone asked him why he was nosing around the war files, what would he say to sound convincing? He sure couldn't say that he was surfing the records because he was bored… That was more Prowl's style, not his. Whenever he felt bored, he hit the road, and drove downtown to some bar. He couldn't say that he was slacking around either; first, because the chairman would kick him out of the Academy; second, because Hot Rod could say that he was lying and keeping secrets. That orange and yellow warrior knew him too well (after all, they were best buddies)… Side Burn knew that he would've to be extremely cautious around him, or his mission could be discovered.

Meanwhile, Prowl turned to look at his older brother with an ashamed look.

"Now, I need a _really_ big favor from you, X…" He started.

"Let me guess…" The green brother interrupted him, raising a hand for emphasis. "You need me as alibi, in case someone suspects of you, don't you?" He snorted, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"Sorry, I know this is not like you… or me… But it's the only way to elude the Council's interference." Prowl apologized to X-Brawn, who was the first person in teach him to be honest and respectful of the laws.

The eldest triplet sighed and massaged his forehead, trying to process this scene: Prowl, the kind of guy who follows the rulebook until its last consequences, was now asking their help to do something that was bordering the illegal? X-Brawn was almost sure that he was having a nightmare. It was either that, or he crossed some sort of dimensional barrier and ended in some alternative universe where up was down, and left was right…

Grunting, he looked at his siblings: both of them were ready to go, and complete the mission, with or without his help. Prowl was decided, and so was Side Burn. If that was the case, what did it matter his opinion? He knew this two guys; he practically raised them!

"… I need a drink…" The green mech said, surrendering, and walking past his brothers, towards the kitchen.

Prowl, though feeling bad for X-Brawn, knowing that he just disappointed him, sighed relieved to know that the oldest triplet was in. With the three of them working together, the Council will never stop him from helping the commander to finish the mission.

"Okay, here's the plan: I'll remain within X's vision the whole day, understood? If someone asks, you say that the three of us decided to have lunch together today, but that you had to leave sooner, due to your obligations at the Academy." The middle brother started to explain to the youngest one.

"Got it!" Then, a doubt crossed his mind and his face: "But, what if the chairman surprises me when downloading the data?"

"Seriously, Side? How many times you made up excuses for us, whenever you got in trouble?" Prowl asked, arching an eyebrow.

"It became your special ability, if you ask me…" X-Brawn commented, reappearing with a small bottle of high-grade in hand, and resting his weight against the kitchen's doorframe.

The youngest triplet made a grimace, placing his fists at the sides of his hip.

"Is not the same, guys! You haven't meet that old creep! He's like the son that Unicron and the Terrorcons never had!" Side Burn complained, pure horror in his face.

The older brothers shared a surprised look at that description… and burst out in a loud laugh at the chairman's description. This mock wasn't exactly appreciated by the youngest brother, who left the apartment saying that he was late for the next class already; that he would be back by the sunset.

After a joor of driving, Side Burn reached the Academy's entrance. The voice of Prowl was constant through the commlink, thing that was starting to get on his nerves. Seriously, couldn't he just leave him alone five kliks? He knew what he was doing! He was an Elite Guard! He would finish the mission no matter what!

Of course that, when a good-looking femme of nice curves and a stunning red armor appeared walking down the street, the young mech's mind suddenly became unable to think, and Prowl's voice became nothing but a buzz in the background. Completely forgetting the task to fulfill, the young warrior flirted to the femme, who chuckled and walked right past him.

"Where have you been my whole life?" He mused out loud, never looking away from her armor.

At this point, she sighed and turned to look at him with a smirk on the lips and an eyebrow arched.

"Sorry, kid. Not my type." She said, winking an eye, and walked away.

« _Side Burn! Come back to reality! This is important!_ » Prowl's voice roared through the commlink.

"Bro, I think I'm in love…" The Elite Guard said, while walking through the Academy's doors.

« _And this chick is different from the last three thousand because…?_ » X-Brawn wondered, completely eavesdropping into the conversation of his brothers.

« _X, we both know this is no different from the others. Side can't see beyond a shiny red platting…_ » The middle brother commented.

Entering one of the elevators, the younger triplet felt somewhat offended by the comments, and growled out loud, making sure that his insensitive brothers heard it. His only answer was a sigh from Prowl and a chuckle from X-Brawn.

So he liked femmes with red armors. Big deal! It wasn't his fault that his two brothers never felt attracted to anyone! He had a type, that's all… Crossing his arms and frowning, Side Burn decided to have a little chat about the matter with Prowl and X-Brawn once he was out of there.

Once at the level where the mainframe that contained the historical records was, the blue mech walked out of the elevator, and inserted the lock's code to enter the room. Seemed that everything was going just fine… At least this far. Nor signs of Hot Rod, nor the chairman. "Good. We're good…" He thought, while closing the door behind him, and starting the system.

Everyone who worked at the Academy, or was a student there, had an access code to the mainframe. It was changed after an amount of solar-cycles, so only the personal and current trainees knew it. Side Burn among them, as a trainer.

Taking a long intake to calm his nerves, the blue mech connected the flash-drive.

"Alright, bro. We're in. What do I have to search for?" He asked.

« _Go to the war records, look for a ship called_ Black Moon _. I think I have heard that name before, but I can't remember…_ » The middle brother said.

"Ok… I'm searching…" Side Burn said, while scanning the ships' files. Suddenly, a result was shown on the screen. "Huh… There's only one match: a prison ship that belonged to the 'Cons. Is that the one you're looking for?" He asked.

« _Huh… Could be… Download the file anyway. I want to know what makes it so special._ » Prowl said.

"You got it. I'll be with you, guys, before afternoon. I'll give you the flash-drive then." The Elite Guard announced to his brothers.

« _Thanks. Oh, and, Side Burn? Good job._ »

He didn't knew what was weirder: that he was in the records room, or that Prowl actually congratulated him…

* * *

Ultra Magnus was at his place, trying to act normal, knowing that he had eyes and ears spying on him all the time, when the message from Prowl came in. The kid found something, and wanted to talk with him; sighing, the commander reminded him that a personal meeting would end up in a disaster for both of them, but the police enforcer didn't want to listen. According to him, it was risky to keep talking through their commlink; they had to meet at somewhere safe. The Wrecker tried to resist the urge of find out what new information this young warrior had, but, in the end, his impulses were stronger than his will, and, for so, they decided to meet in the only place where the Council didn't have power: near the Well of the AllSpark.

The blue bot wasn't surprised when he found his subordinate already at the meeting spot, scanning the surroundings, making sure that nobody else was around. They seemed to be safe, maybe because not many bots liked to go there; Ultra Magnus liked to think that it was out of respect, because that was the spot where everything started, where the first cybertronians were born… Or, maybe, because it was the very place where Optimus, the last Prime, sacrificed himself, in order to save their race. He would never knew which was the ultimate reason, but he appreciated that everyone showed some respect, either to the grave of his good friend, or to the newborns that were still inside of their hatches around the well.

Yet, his reasons to be there were very different: Prowl promised him some new information about their case, and that was it. However, he wanted to know how he got the Intel without alerting the Council's spies… Only then Ultra Magnus learned about the cop's younger brother, Side Burn, who was one of the few Elite Guards who survived the war, next to Smokescreen and another cadet called Hot Rod. Since the three of them were helping at the Academy, they had full access to its mainframe… which contained as much information about the war as the police department's system.

"Among the things I've already decrypted there was this ship's name… _Black Moon_. I knew I heard it somewhere else, so I searched it on the war historical records." Prowl explained while activating a datapad, and looking for a particular entry. Once he found it, he handled it to the blue bot, who started to read it immediately. "It was a prison ship, from the Decepticons faction. It was loaded with dozens of Autobots who were captured at the battlefront."

"Yeah, I heard about it. But it was destroyed as it prepared to jump out of the planet's orbit during the exodus." The Wrecker said, arching an eyebrow, not understanding why Shockwave would be interested in an old wrecked spaceship which whereabouts nobody knew… "In fact, Jetfire's squadron took it down."

"I know, I read the files." Prowl stated with a shrug. "But, what I've noticed is a discrepancy between our database and Shockwave's." He added, while pointing at the paragraph in which he found said discrepancies. "Apparently, Megatron's scientist hid something on that ship; something that was meant to be kept from the Autobots who raided his labs a couple days after he moved his experiments into the _Black Moon_ , which's location was unknown to us back then." Then, he crossed his arms. "However, such behavior suggest that Shockwave counted with…"

"An informant." Ultra Magnus completed for his subordinated, who simply nodded.

The rest of the document was still encrypted, and it would take a long time to be readable; but this was more than enough by the moment. At least they had something to offer to the Autobots who were back on Earth… Earth! Of course! So that's where the spaceship crashed! Scrap! If this information was true, then he needed to warn the others immediately! But how?

With the Council watching him day and night, Ultra Magnus could not even sneeze without their knowing. Biting his lip, he concluded that the only one who could send the message was Prowl, or, at least, one of his brothers; otherwise, he was exposing Ratchet and the others to be labeled as conspirators in some sort of crazy plan to take over the political power on Cybertron… or something like that. He knew well that that was the real reason why the Councilmen didn't like him; because, being the famous Ultra Magnus, many liked him better than the actual regime. They were afraid of losing their place at the Council Chamber, ignoring that the blue bot was a warrior… not a politician… Last thing he wanted was their job.

The cop, all the same, was also incapable of sending a message to another planet without being suspected of treason (thanks to his closeness to the Wrecker, no doubt). Fortunately, he knew someone who didn't have that problem…

Hot Rod was sitting at the Academy's mainframe's control room, bored, watching the security cameras footage, when Side Burn entered in a rush, begging the former bot to give him some privacy for a couple minutes. The orange bot arched an eyebrow, and, smiling devilishly, he reaffirmed his position on the chair before challenge the younger bot to force him to leave. The blue Elite Guard tried to reason with his friend, saying that he wasn't kidding, that it was an emergency.

"Then urgently force me to… Agh!" Before he could finish his sentence, Side Burn grabbed the chair and, shaking it, drop the young orange bot, who fell on his butt with a loud thud. "Ouch! That hurt!" He complained, while rubbing his aft… and his sore pride… "What's going on? What's the big emergency?" He wondered, while getting up.

"I'm sorry, but I can't tell you!" Side Burn apologized, while typing in a real hurry, thing that called Hot Rod's attention. "Really, man! Just give me five klicks alone!" He pleaded when he noticed that his friend was still standing next to him, like some sort of statue.

The orange bot, offended, huffed and crossed his arms, before yell a loud "Fine!" and walk away, closing the door behind him. It was painful for Side Burn to know that he just hurt his friend's trust, but he didn't have much of a choice. His brother was still waiting at the other end of his commlink, and they didn't have much time; he would figure how to apologize with the other Elite Guard later, right now he had an urgent message to write.

"Okay, Prowl, I'm here. Tell me what to say." He announced.

And, then, he started to write.

The next morning, the middle brother of the triplets was, also, under surveillance by order of the Council; he was suspected of conspire against the head of Cybertron. However, those old rusty bots didn't count with his brothers doing, who made the measure public, stating that the cop didn't do anything wrong according to the law.

In a couple days, the whole planet suspected that their new rulers were either tyrants or paranoids…

* * *

 **That's all for now!**

 **Let me know what you think, guys! It makes me happy to see your interest!**

 **Bye!**


	22. TWENTY ONE: Finders Keepers!

**Hello again! How're you, guys, doing?**

 **Well, today my euphoria from the Wednesday has wore off as I started the new chapter, and... I'm advancing rather slow...**

 **Just for you to know, we're entering the second half of the story; so, things are going to start changing for Knock Out... for worse. I'm sorry, big guy, but happy characters makes crappy stories.**

 **Now, to the reviews:**

 **To Gst:**

 **Haha! I'm glad you like how I depicted Ultra Magnus, and the Autobot Brothers! I don't know why, but it felt good to write a chapter with Prowl and his brothers as main characters for a change.**

 **About the** ** _Black Moon..._** **Let's just say that it's going to bring both good and bad news for the bots. But it will also bring some more mentions of Optimus! You'll understand later in the story... ;)**

 **However, I won't mention the fight between the doctors, because it's not necessary on my story, since the Autobots are starting to like the red medic. Besides, they all tried to kill each other during the war...**

 **And, about Dreadwing's termination... Well, I don't know whether Knock Out went to call for Megatron, or if the warlord just saw the medic running off and entered the med-bay to see what was going on. After all, I don't remember if the red mech reappeared in the room after Dreadwing was neutralized; so it is possible to think that he just ran for his life, forgetting about Starscream.**

 **To InIce:**

 **Welcome onboard! I'm glad you like my fanfic! Hope you like what's coming next!**

 **Now, back to the story!**

 **Warning: English isn't my mother language, so you might find some grammar mistakes here. Sorry.  
**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own _Transformers_ franchise, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **TWENTY ONE: Finders Keepers!**

Smokescreen was snoring loudly, dreaming that, when Optimus offered him the Matrix of Leadership, he didn't reject it, and became a Prime; but the fantasy didn't last long, because, right in the best part of the dream, Wheeljack woke him up, saying that he was needed at the control room. "Huh? Me?" He wondered as he got up, yawning, still half-sleep. Ratchet never needed him before; in fact, he could not even remember if the old medic ever allowed him to stay at the control room with him before. Back then, when the war was still being held, the Elite Guard used to spend time either with Bumblebee or with the Wreckers, sometimes with Arcee, but never with their medical officer (except whenever he was injured, but those were rare exceptions). Rubbing his eyes, the blue mech made his way to the control room, cursing for have been interrupted in the middle of a good dream; only to notice that, as soon as he set foot on the room, all the eyes fell on him. Including Rafael's eyes who was, as usual, helping with the mainframe's glitches. Smokescreen stared back.

"What? Do I have something on the face?" He asked, not knowing why everyone was so interested in him all of the sudden.

"You got a message from Cybertron." Arcee finally spoke.

"A what?!" Now fully awaken, the young warrior ran towards the screen, fearing that it was from the Academy's chairman, ordering him to return to take his place as instructor. But relaxed when he recognized the sender. "Uh… Thanks the stars…" He sighed in relief. It wasn't the chairman, it was just Side Burn.

"Do you know the remittent?" Ratchet asked, a little pissed because Smokescreen pushed him out of his way when he rushed towards the keyboard.

"Duh! He's one of my best pals! We trained together at the Academy, and we even are around the same age!" He answered cheerfully. Then, he opened the message. It was written in an old code they invented for whenever they wanted to share something only among themselves. Only he, Side Burn, and Hot Rod knew how to read it, and how to write it. It was a handy tool when you wanted to, either, talk about the trainers, or about other cadets. "Funny, none of us three has ever written anything in our old joke-code in eons…" He commented, before actually start reading, expecting something funny… But as his eyes swoop over the message, he realized that its content was everything but joyful.

"So? What does it says?" Bulkhead asked after sharing a look with Wheeljack, who also noticed that the young bot's face turned paler as he kept reading.

"No way…" He mumbled under his breath, before turn around to look at his friends. "It says that Ultra Magnus and Prowl figured why the 'Cons returned to Earth!" He announced, shocked, and shocking the others, right before go back to the message to start reading it out loud. "Apparently they're after an old lost prison ship that got attacked right when it was bridging itself out of Cybertron's orbit. Its name is the _Black Moon_ , and Prowl believes that it's the place where Shockwave hid some sort of experiment!"

"So that's what they're after!" Bumblebee said, turning to look at Knock Out, who was standing next to him.

"If it's one of the projects he worked on during the war, it could be anything! From an upgrade to a mass destruction weapon!" The red medic conceded. Then, he looked at Smokescreen. "Does the message gives any clues to find the shipwreck?"

"No. It only says that Prowl is still working in decoding the rest of the info they downloaded at Darkmount, and that the Council is now hunting Ultra Magnus, fearing that he's a traitor, or something like that…" The Elite Guard admitted, a little disappointed.

"Ultra Magnus?! A traitor?! _Please_!" Ratchet scoffed, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms.

"It would be easier to convince the Scraplets of becoming vegetarians…" Wheeljack mocked on the background, rolling his eyes, and shifting his weight from his right to his left foot.

"Um… Question: if nobody knows where this ship crashed, and nobody has detected it in all this years; how're we supposed to locate it?" Rafael asked, raising his hand as if he were in the classroom, trying to get the teacher's attention.

At the sudden recall of their main problem, the Autobots fell into silence, while trying to come up with some plan… The old-school scouting rounds wouldn't do them any good; it was inefficient and slow, both things that they couldn't afford right now, not with the Decepticons looking for the same thing… And Knock Out was sure that Shockwave had a plan to track the ship's cargo; otherwise, he would've never loaded it in the first place…

To Skywarp's surprise, his commander had an extensive knowledge about basis science, thing that came really handy when they found out that some things around the base were broken and needed repair. It was pretty much impressive to see him working side by side with the chief scientist; though it wasn't pleasurable for any of them, since the Seeker and Shockwave couldn't see each other in the eye… However, Starscream wasn't a fool, and he was well aware that, as soon as they became expendable, the violet Decepticon would rather shoot their heads off, or something alike. He needed to ensure his and his Seekers safety, and the only way to do so was to convince the scientist that they both could achieve their goals together, and that, after doing so, they wouldn't be a trouble for each other. "Now that I think about it, why is he doing this? Revenge? No… Too emotional for him; it must be something else." The former air commander wondered, while glancing at his companion. What was the logic behind his behavior? He needed to know, if he wanted to preserve his head attached to his shoulders…

"Sir!" Thundercracker's voice echoed in the room as he reentered their hideaway. The cerulean bot took his bipedal form while landing, before bow to his commander. "I shamefully report that I've failed in locate the shipwreck."

"Not a wonder, since Shockwave, here present, hasn't yet shared its location with us." Starscream sneered while crossing his arms and frowning. He was tired of the scientist's secretive behavior. If he wanted any further help, he would have to cooperate with them.

Understanding that his alliance with the Seekers was at stake, the one eyed bot admitted that he had (as usual) chipped the spaceship where he hid his experiments before it jumped off the planet's orbit; however, there was one more thing they had to recover from the wreck: the ship's mainframe contained a secret file with a copy of his research, which he needed in order to finish the said experiments.

"Still, not enough to know where to look for this long lost ship!" The grey Seeker complained, while thrusting his arms upwards with his fists clenched. "It's been half million years in this planet since the _Black Moon_ crash landed, Shockwave! We don't even know if your precious experiment survived the collision!"

"Trust me, it did. However, I cannot provide exact coordinates. There's a large error margin…" Shockwave admitted.

Growling under his breath, Starscream agreed to assist, as long as nor he, nor his Seekers were unnecessary risked… "I need to strengthen this alignment, or face our doom…" The commander thought, while ordering Skywarp to transform and scan the area of the ship's probable location. Sighing, more frustrated than satisfied with this situation, the purple flyer did as told.

Meanwhile, at Jasper, Rafael was finishing the new scanners' software, hoping that it would help them to find the ship wreckage before the 'Cons. However, as he started the upgrade, Bumblebee's footsteps called his attention away from his laptop. Ever since he returned from Cybertron, the yellow bot has been so busy with his job that they have barely had time to talk like in the old times, thing that made him feel sad whenever they were on the same room; the young bot's feelings weren't too far from the boy's, since he was feeling like there was a huge breach between them. Not that they didn't know the reason: it has been two years since the last time they talked, and they both have changed…

"Hey, Raf!" The warrior greeted the boy with a smile, trying to compensate for the awkward silence that has installed between them in the past few days.

"Hey, 'Bee!" The teenager answered, turning to look at him. Then, he looked around. "Where's Knock Out?"

"Recharging… Or maybe buffing, since Bulkhead dented his paintjob this morning during our sparring session." He answered with an amused smile and a shrug, still remembering the face that the red bot made after finding a large, really large, scratch all over his chassis. "Ratchet's with Smokescreen; it seems that he twisted something. Arcee and the others are still at the training room… So… What're you doing?" He asked, looking at his partner.

"I think I finally repaired the scanners. But the only way to know it is to try them out." Rafael said, a little disappointed since there was no guarantee of success.

"I'm sure that it will work, Raf." The warrior reassured him, earning a smile. "Said, Ratchet told me that you have a niece?"

"Oh, yeah! Sarah! She's a year old already, do you wanna see a picture?" Before Bumblebee were able to answer, the teenager was already looking through the images on his cellphone. "There!"

A cute chubby baby of black hair and brown eyes, smiling lovely to the camera, while hugging a huge teddy bear appeared at the cellphone's screen. The bot chuckled, finding the baby adorable. It always surprised him how cute the humans were during their early years of life. He commented this to Rafael, who proudly announced to be the godfather of the girl; mostly because he was the most responsible from all his siblings, but, in the end, it turned out that the baby loved him, so… Bumblebee chuckled again, while saying that it wasn't a surprise, because he was kind, and everyone loves kind people. Rafael blushed embarrassedly at the comment, but said nothing; anyway, an alarm started to ring before he was able to retort the comment.

"We found something!" The teenager yelled in surprise.

The scanners found something big and metallic at the Amazon Jungle…

A green vortex closed behind six towering figures; six alien giant robots of different colors appeared in the middle of the largest jungle in the Earth, and started to walk behind the smallest one, a blue femme bot, who was holding a scanner. It clearly pointed towards the densest part of the vegetation, meaning that, if attacked, their movement capacity would be severely reduced. To begin with, they couldn't use their wheels; on the other hand, since they were looking for a lost spaceship, there were little chances that they would need them… Or, at least, they hoped not to need them.

The signal was growing stronger, until, finally, they found the ship wreckage: the _Black Moon_ was half buried, half exposed, in a diagonal position. Access its interior would be a challenge… Its shield was too thick, so they needed time to pierce through it…

"Or we could use the airlock." Knock Out commented, pointing at a half-visible hatch, which they could easily pry open to enter the ship.

Of course, they chose the easy way.

Walk inside of the wreckage was difficult because of its slope, and because the hallways were almost pitch black. They needed to be extremely careful of where they stepped, since nobody knew what was onboard of this ship. After informing their position to Ratchet and Rafael, who were monitoring them from base, the bots turned their headlights on, and carefully started to explore the vessel. According to Knock Out, all Decepticons' ships were alike, so find the mainframe's access room wouldn't be hard… However, if the emergency reactors were destroyed, then they would have to improvise in order to obtain the database that Shockwave hid in there.

The bots decided to split up: Knock Out and Bumblebee would go to the control room to try to download the Intel; meanwhile, Wheeljack and Smokescreen would go to the engine room, to check the emergency reactor (nobody believed that the engine itself survived), while Arcee and Bulkhead would check the cell's level, maybe there was still something they could save. That decided, the Autobots split up.

The staircase that led to the engine room was in a strange position that made it impossible to be used; reason why, Wheeljack and Smokescreen soon found themselves crawling towards their destination, with the white bot on the head and the Elite Guard keeping an eye on their backs.

Suddenly, the Wrecker announced that they arrived to the engine room, but, as soon as he stepped out of the staircase, he felt the ground under his feet give in. If it wasn't for the young warrior's reflexes, Wheeljack was sure that he would've fallen into a certain death. Still a little startled, the old bot looked into the hole that opened, before turn to see his companion's face.

"Thanks, kid…" He said.

"You're welcome… and heavy…" The blue bot panted, as he struggled to hold a grip on his partner's waist, making sure that he didn't fall in.

"Sorry!" With a quick move, the mechanic set foot on hard ground, before offer his hand to the younger warrior, who confidently took it. Next thing he knew, he was pulled towards Wheeljack, who settled him firmly next to him. "Okay, here comes the tricky part: there's the engine and the generators." He said, pointing at the huge machines that were at the other side of the room. "There's where we need to go."

"Okay, let's do it!" Smokescreen stated… but nothing happened. "Huh… Wheeljack? You're the mechanic here…"

"Yeah, and I'm also the heaviest bot here. Have you forgotten what just happened two seconds ago?" The Wrecker commented, crossing his arms.

"So… What do we do?"

"Simple…" The white bot said with a wide grin, before lean down to be at the eyes level of Smokescreen. Their faces were inches away. "You lead the way, I follow."

"What?!" The Elite Guard jerked in panic, while looking towards the distance he had to cover. It was a big room, and any step could be the last one. The blue bot gulped. Was his friend talking serious?! It was a death trap! "And what if I fall into a hole?!"

As answer, Wheeljack grabbed his friend's hand, before tell him to start walking.

Knock Out and Bumblebee were already at the control room's door, trying to pry it with a large pipe they ripped off a wall. Since there was no energy yet, they could only rely on their physical strength and wit whenever they required to open their way. Fortunately, the door started to give in, breaking the lock, allowing them to easily slide it manually. Once inside the room, the red bot examined the controllers; apparently everything was still standing on place, only one problem: the energy. Without power, he couldn't do anything. The yellow bot, then, decided to check on their mechanic.

« _Um… We're getting closer to the emergency generators, but…_ » A weird crack was heard in the background. « _Scrap! Hold on!_ » A loud noise of stuff falling apart echoed, not only through their commlink, but through the ship's hallways; at the same time, Wheeljack was clenching his teeth, and it sounded as if he was making a huge physical effort.

"Wheeljack? Is there something wrong?" Bumblebee asked in worry, while Knock Out scanned their surroundings, hoping that the loud metallic noises they heard didn't mean that the whole place was about to fall apart.

« _Wait a sec, kid! Ugh! I'm not… in the greatest position right now! Argh! You're heavier than you look!_ »

« _Don't blame me! This was_ your _idea!_ » Smokescreen's voice was heard, though it echoed a little bit, as if he was in some sort of tunnel.

« _Call ya' when I've fixed the engine! Wheeljack out!_ » Then, he hung the call.

"Alright, am I the only one who's having a bad feeling about this?" The red medic complained, crossing his arms and arching an eyebrow. He sounded agitated, probably about to panic, since the cracking noises that resounded all around the vessel could mean an imminent collapse.

"I'm sure they're fine. Wheeljack and Smokescreen knows how to take care of themselves." The warrior reassured his partner, though he was also worried. Something sounded pretty bad during the call… And why was the Wrecker talking about the blue bot's weight?

Arcee and Bulkhead were nearing the room where the prisoners must have been held, when the femme suddenly slipped, almost falling into a huge metal shard that could've pierced her. Good thing that the green bot caught her on time, helping the smaller bot to stand steadily on her own feet.

"Thanks, Bulk." She said, while holding onto the wall, to prevent falling again.

"No problem." Then, he looked at the shard that almost kills his friend, noticing that it was created by some sort of explosion from the outside. "Guess we found the point where this ship got hit."

"Looks like it…" But something else got her attention at this point: she was holding onto a door's handle. It wasn't like the other sliding doors in the vessel, this one had an especial lock, meaning that, whatever was inside that room, it was incredibly important for the Decepticons. What if it was Shockwave's secret experiment? They could easily destroy it and go back to base before supper. It was worth the shot. "Bulk, help me to open this door." She ordered, while looking at the bulkier bot.

With a nod, the Wrecker transformed his right hand into a wrecking ball, and hit the door's lock with all his might. It took another three or four punches to break into the room, and, though it wasn't what Arcee imagined, it did worth their efforts: the place was a very large room, filled with stasis-pods, all of them occupied by Autobots who were taken prisoners during the war. Unfortunately, when the _Black Moon_ crashed, the capsules failed, and the bots were now deactivated. "So many…" The femme thought looking around, seeing nothing else but pods. Her spark saddened at the view. All this poor soldiers and messengers were nothing but empty husks now…

"Hey, 'Cee! Come over here, I think I found someone alive!" Bulkhead, who was now at one of the room's ends, announced.

The blue femme looked on his friend's direction, noticing that there were three pods that were still online.

Wheeljack was finishing the repairs on the generators, while Smokescreen, dirty and with his pride sored, was pouting beside him. The white mech already apologized for _almost_ let him fall, saying that he was distracted by Bumblebee's sudden call and didn't noticed that the floor below the Elite Guard broke under his feet until he yelped. Needless to say that the blue mech didn't accepted the apology, saying that he wanted some sort of compensation since he almost lost his life. The Wrecker glanced at his companion and sighed. He was truly a kid…

Suddenly, the power came back online as the mechanic put some wires on their place. The lights turned on, as well as the systems, and the bots were able to see where they were standing without have to burn their energy by using their headlights to illuminate their path. Satisfied with his work, Wheeljack smirked and closed the generator's panel, while calling Bumblebee.

"There you go, kid. We're back online." He announced, proudly.

« _We noticed. Now one of you go with Bulk and Arcee; seems they found something important. The other one come here to give us some support._ »

"Alright, we're on our way." He hung up. Then he looked at Smokescreen. "Mainframe or lower deck?"

"I'll go with Bumblebee." The warrior answered.

"Then, I'll go with Bulk."

Knock Out was already transferring the data to the base's mainframe, while Bumblebee kept watch. Now that the ship was back online, Shockwave might be able to track it. "Hopefully we'll be gone by then…" the medic thought, hurrying the download, while erasing the information they already copied on their database. He already had fifty percent of the data transferred to Ratchet's CPU when Smokescreen walked in. The young bot was covered in black grease, and he had scratches all over his legs. Both, the medic and the police officer, couldn't help but stare in surprise of his looks.

"What happened to you?" The yellow warrior asked with wide eyes.

"Long story, in short: this ship stinks." The Elite Guard said, clearly pissed by something, before look at the medic. "So, how're we doing?"

"Good. In a couple minutes, Shockwave's research will be ours." He answered, typing, not putting too much attention to his words.

Smokescreen walked over to Bumblebee.

"Did he say 'ours'?" He whispered to his friend, not believing his own ears. Since when the former Decepticon considered himself an Autobot?

The yellow bot shrugged. He liked to believe that Knock Out was actually mending his ways, though he yet had some reservations about his attitude…

Wheeljack has had his share of weirdness during the war. Being a special ops soldier, the white Wrecker had seen some pretty strange stuff, but this? As he walked towards the room, first thing he did was complain because Bulkhead didn't warn him about the "pit of imminent death" (as he called the huge hole that was crowned with long piercing shards that could slice a Cybertronian like a pizza); but, when he didn't receive an answer, the mechanic feared that something was out of place… Only then he saw the stasis pods. "Survivors?" He wondered, walking up to his friends, who seemed to be in shock. The first one in react was Bulkhead, who quickly took him apart, saying that they stumbled upon an actual miracle…

Back at base, Ratchet detected an unfriendly signal monitoring the area. One of the Seekers was searching for the shipwreck, and was miles away from finding it. In panic, the old medic informed about this to his friends, who tried to speed up the download; however, Arcee requested for a ground-bridge at her current location. The bot arched an eyebrow. She wanted to run away? Exchanging a quick glance with Rafael who shrugged in confusion, Ratchet asked if someone was hurt and needed to be evacuated.

« _We found survivors, Ratch… I… I can't explain this to you, not like this. You need to see it, to understand it._ » The femme said, sounding strangely agitated.

"What do we do?" The human teenager wondered.

"… If these are Autobots who were taken prisoner during the war…" The white and orange bot pondered out loud, before start talking under his breath with his eyes shut. He was doubting Arcee's words. Survivors? After so long of being kept in stasis, on a ship that wrecked thousands of years ago? It was almost a miracle… And yet… He looked at the screen where the Seeker's and his friends' coordinates were being indicated. "I'm opening a ground-bridge for you, Arcee; prepare to evacuate the survivors. Bumblebee, I hope that Knock Out can finish the download in the next five seconds, because that's all the time you have before being discovered!" He told his companions, while preparing the portal.

« _You want me to download_ all _this database in_ five filthy seconds _?! Why don't you bring your rusty aft up here and show me how on Earth am I supposed to do such thing?! Huh?! Because, unless you have Soundwave hiding somewhere in your base, then there's no freaking way that I will be done by then!_ » Knock Out's voice yelled through the commlink, obviously pissed by the little time he had to finish his mission.

"Congratulations: now you only have three seconds!" Ratchet retorted, dryly.

Meanwhile, a Decepticon of purple armor landed outside the shipwreck.

* * *

 **That's all for now! Hope you liked it!**

 **As always, please, let me know what you think!**

 **See you soon!**


	23. TWENTY TWO: Old Friends

**Hello again! How're you doing? I hope you're all fine!**

 **Turns out that my Muse needs to hear me complaining to decide to actually give me ideas to finish the chapters I'm writing... Since I finished another one yesterday, I decided to update today! Yay!**

 **Now, to the guest asking about Thundercracker's personality, I'm afraid that you'll have to keep reading to find out ;)**

 **And, now to Gst, about Smokescreen's dream: true that Optimus's death wouldn't have been a happy dream; however, he could've accepted the Matrix and use the Forge to repair his leader himself... He could've been a Prime and saved his role model at the same time. After all the only condition to be able to use that relic is that you have to be a Prime (it's pretty much the** ** _Transformers'_** **version of Thor's hammer, now that I think of it...).**

 **And, no... No cloning, or anything alike. I grew up watching** ** _Spider-Man_** **'s TV shows, so, trust me, I'm sick of the storylines that includes cloning...**

 **By the way, don't worry for long comments; I don't mind.**

 **But now, I'm the one wondering something: I'm not a journalist. Why?**

 **Now let's keep going from my little cliff-hanger.**

 **Warning: English isn't my mother language, so I might have committed grammar mistakes. I'm really sorry about it.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own** ** _Transformers_** **franchise, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **TWENTY TWO: Old Friends**

Knock Out was at the verge of a spark-attack: the system showed that somebody just forced his way in, and was now wandering around the vessel, probably looking for the mainframe, meaning that he was coming to the very room they were in. "Dammit, Shockwave! Curse you, and your gargantuan research!" He mentally swore, while his fingers practically flew over the keyboard, trying to speed up the process… Until he felt a barrel against his back…

"Let me guess: Skywarp?" He said, narrowing his eyes, clearly annoyed.

"Step away from the mainframe controls, doctor…" The Seeker threatened. "And you two, warriors, low your weapons, now." He added, looking at Bumblebee and Smokescreen, who were cursing themselves for not noticing that the purple bot was warping himself into the room.

Meanwhile, on the other room, Arcee, Bulkhead and Wheeljack were pushing the three functional stasis pods through their ground-bridge. The vines were dusty, and it was difficult to say who was storage inside, but, as far as Rafael and Ratchet could see, it were three Autobots who fell in battle during the war. However, the medic didn't have time to congratulate his companions for such rescue. As soon as the third prisoner was safe inside of their base, the medic hurried his friends to return and help the others, who were ambushed by Skywarp. Nodding, the three warriors returned to the ship, closing the vortex behind them. Only then, Ratchet looked at the slumbering bots that were left at his charge, and, sighing, he cleaned the crystals so he could see who they were.

And, then, his spark froze…

"By the AllSpark!" The old bot yelled in surprise, taking a step backwards, as if he just saw a ghost.

"Ratchet, what's wrong?!" Rafael, who was monitoring their friends without pay attention to the medic, asked worriedly, believing that something was wrong. Did they rescue a Decepticon instead of an Autobot?

"It… It can't be…" The white and orange bot leaned closer to glance the faces of the prisoners one more time, trembling, as if he was afraid of confirm what he suspected. Eventually, he knelt beside the capsules, touching them with shaking hands. "You… You've been alive… all this long?"

By the time the bots returned to the shipwreck, the noise of the shooting could be heard all over the place. The battle was already ongoing, and they were missing it!

Running towards the mainframe room, the warriors saw the back and forth of blasters as the bots answered the fire of their enemies; the Decepticons were trying to reach the controllers, while the Autobots were trying to keep them at stake, until Knock Out finished the download… At some point, Smokescreen got hit on a shoulder, and was forced to take cover behind a pile of scrap.

Seeing this, Thundercracker (who arrived next to Starscream, shortly after Skywarp informed that the Autobots were already at the place) launched himself towards the bots, laughing in the face of Bumblebee, whose blasters proved not to be strong enough to face the Seeker, as the cerulean bot got close enough to punch him in the face… Smokescreen tried to run on his friend's help, but was stopped by the air commander's missiles.

Defenseless, the red medic saw himself cornered against the mainframe controllers by the three Seekers, who seemed ready to kill him… Gulping, knowing that those were his last minutes on Earth, the smaller bot pulled forward his saw and drill, and readied himself for battle. Of course that he was everything but intimidating, so he couldn't say that he was surprised of heard the flyers laughing at his sad attempt of look fierce.

"Please, doctor… We both know that you won't risk your precious paintjob for a couple Autobots." Starscream said with his dangerous snaky tongue. A pleased smirk formed on his lips at the medic's fear and indecision. "Now, why don't you put those away, before someone gets hurt? After all, you're not a warrior, are you Knock Out?" He pressed, while pushing the red bot's saws away from him and his seekers. Eventually, the smaller bot simply transformed his limbs back into his servos, accepting his defeat.

"He might not be a warrior, but we are!" Arcee's voice yelled, before her blasters tried to reach for the 'Cons.

Using the sudden intromission on his advantage, Knock Out glanced towards the screens: the download was on its 85%, they weren't going to make it. "Scrap! I know I'm going to regret this!" He cursed himself before pull his saw forward once again, right before slice the mainframe's controllers with it. The sparks flew as the saw opened its way through the metal and inner wiring of the console, and a shrieking sound of friction made the bots grit their teeth. Within seconds, the terminal was destroyed, and all the Decepticons could do was watch their failure. In the background, nor the Wreckers, nor Arcee could believe their eyes. Did he actually destroyed the mainframe in order to keep the Seekers away from Shockwave's research? That would mean that he actually cared, that he was really worried for the Autobots welfare… "No… He's not worried for us, he's worried for Millie…" The femme thought with a soft sigh.

Starscream growled infuriated by this sudden change on the status quo, and grabbed the medic by his neck.

"If I can't have the files, I will have your head!"

"Try, and we blow you up, Screamer!" Bulkhead retorted pinpointing the Seeker with his blasters.

It didn't took long to notice that they were in a bad situation already, and, to make it worst, Bumblebee and Smokescreen were regaining consciousness. Thundercracker and Skywarp shared a glance before look at their superior; the grey flyer didn't need to hear them saying it, he knew that their only choice was to retreat. Grunting, he gestured the purple Seeker to get them out of the shipwreck; however, he showed no intentions of leaving Knock Out behind this time, so he tightened his grip around the medic's neck, at the same time that Thundercracker shot at the Wreckers and the femme, forcing them to take cover.

Seeing where this was going, the red bot hurried to hurt Starscream, right above of the wrist. In order to keep his hand, the air commander let go of his prisoner, but, before he could regain a hold on the red mech's body, Skywarp opened the vortex and dragged his companions in. With a loud roar, the leader Seeker complained for their failure, and swore to have his revenge on his backstabber old friend…

Behind them, Shockwave appeared, asking for his research.

"The Autobots destroyed it!" Starscream shouted, turning to look at his comrade face to face, while violently gesturing with his hands. "Knock Out cut the mainframe's hardware in half!"

"The Autobots? Impossible. Nobody knows about the _Black Moon_ 's real cargo but me." The scientist said in clear surprise. Could it be that his old project has been discovered already? How? No one, except Megatron and himself, was aware of his experiments…

Only then the memory of their encounter with Ultra Magnus, back in Darkmount tower, resurfaced. The fact that their enemies knew about the shipwreck and its importance meant that the Wrecker's commander has decrypted some of his research already. "If that's so, I must stop him, before he uncovers the rest of it…" He thought, before walk towards the control panel, where he typed the coordinates of Kaon City. Admitting that, while his partners were out of the base, he finished the space-bridge in which he was working back on the final days of the war. The one-eyed Decepticon said that, given the circumstances, they needed the security backup that he had on Cybertron; otherwise, his experiments would end unconcluded. Then he activated the bridge, it was a silent order for his companions…

Grunting, the cerulean and the purple Seeker started to walk towards the wormhole; however, they were quickly stopped by their immediate superior, who arched an eyebrow at Shockwave's actions. He was so urgent, so demanding, so… desperate? It was strange. The chief scientist was well-known for have erased his emotions in order to process information faster, that way he was more efficient since his actions were dictated by mere logic. It was so unnatural that many Cybertronians made him aside, considering him little less than a monster (even the Decepticons). Of course that there were rumors of Soundwave having done something similar to himself, but the evidence didn't support the theory: the silent gladiator proved to have emotions more than once; he simply didn't show them often, so he was fearsome in the eyes of his enemies, defeating them psychologically, before the real pain started… A little strategy that all the good gladiators that made their fame at the pits of Kaon knew.

And now, all the sudden, Shockwave was showing thirst for revenge; or so Starscream believed. Otherwise, what was the logical explanation for this behavior? "Though, I must say, it is interesting… Let's see how far he gets." He thought with a wicked smile

The bots were back at base, helping Bumblebee and Smokescreen to reach the medical-bay. Bulkhead and Arcee were helping Smokescreen, while Knock Out and Wheeljack supported Bumblebee's weight; everyone was claiming Ratchet's name, saying that they needed medical attention right away. Rafael, who was at the control panel, told them that the old bot took the pods to the medical-bay and was attending to the prisoners they rescued.

"Alright, let's go!" Bulkhead said, while dragging the blue mech towards the room.

None of them expected to find what they did…

Ratchet was monitoring the vitals of three bots, who were supposedly terminated a long, long time ago… The old bot stopped only to briefly look at his friends as they entered the room. But when Arcee dropped her hold onto Smokescreen's waist, the medic had to look away, while the two-wheeler's eyes widened and her jaw dropped when she recognized the femmes. Even Knock Out couldn't hide his surprise at the view of the three patients, but it was Bumblebee who broke the awkward silence as soon as his optics opened and his gaze fell onto the large and bulky red mech who was lying on the stretcher in the center of the room…

"I-Ironhide…?" The young bot stammered.

Next to the red warrior, there were two femmes, one of cerulean and white armor, and the other of pink armor. Chromia and Elita-One. They were all alive… All this time… they were prisoners of the Decepticon army…

Later that day, Jack appeared at the base, riding his motorcycle (bought with the money he saved from his job at KO Burger), wondering where Arcee was. After her return to Earth, the bot has been picking him up from college every day to compensate the two years she was away. But today the femme was nowhere to be found, and when he called, she didn't picked up. The teenager had to admit that he was worried… This wasn't a normal behavior from his friend. Did something happened? Maybe she was just busy, chasing some 'Cons, making justice… Usual Autobot stuff… But, as soon as he found Rafael walking up and down in the control room, he knew that something was wrong.

"Raf? What happened?" He asked, walking towards his friend, unzipping his jacket.

"Jack!" The younger boy snapped out of his trance, and ran towards the other teenager in excitement. "You won't believe this! The bots found the shipwreck, _and_ they found Autobots who survived the crash!"

"What?" Was the only thing he was capable to say, before shook his head and massage his temples in an attempt to swallow the news. "Hold on, hold on… Calm down and explain this to me. With details; I wasn't here when it happened…"

"Okay, okay…" Rafael took a deep breath to calm down, then, he invited Jack to take sit on the coach. The brunette did as told, and waited for the boy to tell him everything. "Today we found the _Black Moon_ 's shipwreck, and the bots went to investigate it. Though, thanks to the Seekers sudden appearance, they couldn't download the whole research, they found the chamber where the prisoners were kept; and they found three functional stasis pods! Three! Two femmes and one mech. Ratchet is attending them right now."

"So, there are new guys in the base? That's cool." Jack commented with a crocked smile, while crossing his arms.

"Yes, well… It is great, but… It seems that Bumblebee, Ratchet and Arcee knew this guys. They seemed really shocked. For what I've picked up, they didn't believe they were still alive…" Rafael said, before drop himself on the couch with a huff. "You should've seen their faces, Jack. They seemed to be so… hurt…"

"Hurt" was the perfect term to define the bots' feelings. They were feeling really, really hurt, because they were responsible of this, because…

Because they were supposed to wait for them…

Ironhide, Elita-One and Chromia were meant to board the _Ark_ ; in fact, the red mech wasn't with them that day because he was bringing the femmes. But there was an ambush, and, before they could repel the attack, the Decepticons were trying to destroy the spaceship. Some urged Optimus to leave the planet right away, but he ordered to wait; he refused to leave without his friends, he refused to sacrifice them… But as some of the _Ark_ 's systems started to get offline because of the constant bombing, the Prime had to take a decision. He knew that, to the eyes of his men, his life was worthier than Ironhide's…

No choice then.

And so, by the time that the weapons specialist and the femmes came into view, Optimus was about to give the order to take off.

But now…

Not only _he_ wanted to wait, but Ratchet and Bumblebee as well. They decided to give their friends all the time they could, in order to help them to board; however, as soon as Elita noticed that they weren't going to make it, she called Optimus through their commlink, and told him to leave, to safe himself and his men… That they were lost already.

Heartbroken, the leader gave the order, and the spaceship left the planet's surface… With the systems damaged, they were unable to bridge out of orbit; but there was a chance to get far enough from the conflict, just to reach a quiet place where to repair the damages. About their friends… there was nothing they could do for them now…

A few hours passed before Ironhide started to open his eyes, grunting at the feeling of his limbs being numb. Finally, he was capable of see his surroundings. A medical bay? Not only that: Chromia was right next to him, and so was Elita. The three of them were still alive, but where were they? He didn't recognized the place… Maybe the 'Cons were planning to interrogate them? No. They weren't strapped down to the berths. What kind of incompetent guard leaves the prisoners free? "Maybe one who knows that I'm too rusty to move around… Ow…" He thought, looking back at the ceiling. There was nobody else in the place, so all he could do was wait to regain mobility, and pray not to be discovered before he could find the way out of there.

When the door went open, the warrior growled, giving a sarcastic thanks to the universe. It also gave away that he was awake, and, then, the real surprise started…

"Ironhide! You're up!"

"Ratchet?!" The warrior couldn't believe his audio receptors, as he lifted his face in a weak attempt of look at his friend from above his large chest.

Indeed, the old medic was standing at the entrance with an unusual happy face; soon enough, he was standing next to the red and grey bot, making sure that his recovery was progressing. The old weapons specialist was too surprised of seeing his old good friend, to realize that he looked slightly older than he remembered; however, he did wonder how their team rescued him and the femmes… and he also asked for Optimus's whereabouts…

This last question made the older bot sigh and avert his face. He knew that this would happen, but to actually hear his friend asking for Optimus… It was too much to take. With a deep breathe, Ratchet gathered the strength he needed to explain the events that took place during the last years of the war.

"He's… gone." He started, slowly, trying not to be too sudden. The red bot simply arched an eyebrow and cocked his head, obviously not understanding if he meant that their friend was simply outside making a few rounds, or if he was terminated. Damn, it was harder than he thought it would be! But he was one of his best friends, and Optimus would never forgive him if he dared to keep the truth from the warrior. "He's one with the AllSpark." He finally said, lowering his gaze to the floor.

Horror spread through Ironhide's face, as the statement sunk into his mind. Optimus was…? No. No, it couldn't be.

"What happened? Who did it? Was it Megatron?! Because if that's the case, then I…!"

"Relax, 'Hide; it's nothing like that!" Ratchet assured his friend, while grabbing him from the right shoulder as the warrior intended to get off the berth. Restrain him wasn't an easy task, not even for him. Ironhide was one of the largest mechs he has ever met… "Nobody killed him; Optimus sacrificed himself to protect the Allspark and save our home. Unfortunately, to do so, he had to fusion his own spark with it…" As he talked, the medic saw that the bulky bot started to calm down.

"Yep… That sounds like him, alright…" He sighed. Then, he furrowed his eyebrows in a quizzical way as something that his friend said suddenly called his attention. "Wait a… 'Save our home'? 'Protect the AllSpark'? But, Cybertron is… How long has it been, Ratch?! What did we missed?!"

The medic scratched the back of his helm.

Oh brother, he was now in the obligation of tell his friend the whole story (starting with the fact that they gave them for dead and left them as war prisoners of the Decepticons, who put them into stasis for over half million years); also, he had to explain that they were on Earth, not on Cybertron, and how they got there. Not to mention that he had to explain Knock Out's presence, otherwise Ironhide would kill the red medic at first view. As he kept remembering details that he couldn't omit, Ratchet sighed and invited his friend to make himself comfortable, because they were going to spend a long time together…

By nightfall, Jack and Rafael were with the bots at one of the training rooms. They were all trying to get rid of some tension, while Ratchet dealt with their new guests, which were in part the reason why Knock Out was kind of eager to practice some dodging movements. Besides his new migraine, earned while trying to decode Shockwave's research; the presence of a well-known Autobot soldier and weapons specialist, who wouldn't hesitate in rip his head off, didn't exactly reassured him… Though Bumblebee kept saying that he had nothing to worry as long as they remained together, the red bot simply couldn't imagine the yellow warrior protecting him from a bot who was three or four times bigger… and stronger…

Bulkhead and Wheeljack, on the other hand, were in ecstasy after seeing the bulky red mech that was resting at their med-bay. They both knew of Ironhide's reputation as soldier, and they knew that he had somewhat of a record when it came to finish off Decepticons.

"You're gonna make me blush." A deep rough voice said from behind the group.

Everyone turned around, finding that Ironhide was finally up and out of the medical bay (truth was that Ratchet refused of him to leave the room, but, the red bot was stubborn and sneaked out as soon as he could walk); behind him, the white and orange mech appeared, glaring daggers at his friend who nonchalantly ignored his medical advice.

The human teenagers gasped at the size of their new teammate, who was taller and much bulkier than the two Wreckers that they already knew. Also he had a set of ginormous cannons attached to his forearms, which were difficult to ignore. At their reaction, the warrior turned to look at them, and seemed to surprise at their looks.

For a minute, the old warrior simply stared at them with wide eyes; then, he burst out in a loud laugh, before turn to look at Ratchet.

"These are the 'humans' you were talking about?" He asked, lighthearted, while placing his hands at the sides of his hip. The medic nodded, crossing his arms. Ironhide let out another chuckle. "Well, you're way smaller than us indeed!" He commented, still laughing. Then, he looked at the boys. "Hey, there, kiddos. I'm Ironhide; but all my friends calls me 'Hide." The bot introduced himself, with a wink.

"I'm Jackson, but everyone calls me Jack." The older teenager said with a smile.

"And I'm Rafael, but everyone calls me Raf." The younger one completed, accommodating his glasses that were starting to slip down his nose.

"And who's Miko? Ratch, here, told that there were three of you…" Ironhide wondered, confused.

"She's on Japan. Comes and goes whenever she's able." Bulkhead explained.

Then, the newcomer turned to look at one specific bot, who was at the other side of the room, next to a red bot of red eyes. Ironhide smiled at the young bot, before ask him when was planning to greet him properly. Chuckling, Bumblebee ran towards the bulky warrior, who gave him a fatherly hug. It has been so long since the last time they met… The yellow warrior was noticeable older to Ironhide's eyes, since he remembered him differently, more childish; but now, as far as he got to know, the lad was a police officer under Ultra Magnus's command, and he was a war hero. It was an impressive curriculum, and the old bot was a little disappointed because he missed it all; however, he couldn't hide his pride, since Optimus and he practically raised the lad.

Then, as the hug ended, the old soldier turned to look at the red medic, whose nerves were tangible now. Was he going to terminate him? Would he listen a word he says? How would his presence influence on his parole terms?

"So, you must be Knock Out, aren't ya'?" Ironhide wondered, as he walked up to the small bot, who seemed to shrink under his gaze. The size difference between them was impressive, and the medic couldn't hide his intimidation when the soldier crossed his massive arms in front of his massive chest.

The former Decepticon gulped.

"Yes…?" He tried to answer, though it sounded like a question due to his fear.

"I was told that you switched sides. Is that true?" The warrior pressed, arching an eyebrow.

"I did. I'm on probation." The medic nodded, trying to regain his composure; but it was a difficult task since the weapons specialist's reputation was well-known. Even Breakdown would feel uneasy talking with this guy, so it was only natural for him to fear for his life, wasn't it?

Ironhide leaned closer until his face was inches away from Knock Out's. Then, after a couple minutes, he retrieved.

"That's enough, 'Hide… He's one of us now." Bumblebee chuckled from behind the old soldier. He knew the weapons specialist too well, so he was aware that Ironhide was joking; but the medic didn't know him that much, so he probably was taking it serious.

As expected, the massive red mech let go a laugh.

"I'm kidding with you! Don't make that face!" He stated, while giving a friendly smack to the medic's shoulder.

Despite the pain caused by such gesture, Knock Out sighed in relief. It seemed that this new situation wouldn't change his status quo.

Back on Cybertron, Prowl was having a drink with his brothers, celebrating that the Council didn't catch them. It was rare for the police officer to act so easy-going, even with his own siblings; but this was a celebrating-worth situation! They entered the bar and took seat on an empty table, waiting for someone to come and take their orders, while they chatted a little bit. Side Burn was laughing, saying that his friend Hot Rod has tried (three times already) to punish him for pushing him off the chair; however, the orange bot hasn't have any luck this far since the blue one always found the traps before set them off. X-Brawn, then, started to talk about his job when, suddenly, the costumer in the table next to theirs jumped off his chair. It made the triplets look at the guy, wondering if he was alright.

He was a flyer of black, thick armor; he had the Autobots' insignia carved in a wing and a red tattoo on the other, which resembled two concentric rings, but, actually, was a writing. It said: "To serve and protect. Brothers in arms. Brothers in blood." His optics were sky-blue.

The poor guy looked as if he just spotted a ghost standing in the middle of the bar, thing that caught almost everyone's attention, even the owner's. "Oh, great… I want to relax, yet I have to do cop's work… Just fantastic." Prowl thought, while getting up, readying himself to "invite" the flyer to exit establishment… But he never had to.

Before anyone could call him off, the black bot simply paid for his drinks (he had a few empty glasses on his table, which told the triplets that he has been sitting there for a while), and walked off. Once outside, he transformed and flew away.

"That was…" X-Brawn started, but couldn't find words.

"Strange? Creepy? Uneasy?" Side Burn tried to complete for him.

"All of above." The green bot commented.

Prowl simply remained there, trying to forget this little meeting with that strange guy.

Meanwhile, the flyer was at the highest point he could find in the rebuilt city, transformed, once again, in his bipedal form, and looking straight into the sky above him. Was it right? It couldn't be… It was impossible. For over two million years he hasn't felt anything like this; the connection was completely broken, so he finally came to the conclusion that his brother was no more. But this… feeling… The sensation of someone, of something, pulling his spark towards the outer space, towards another planet… There was no other explanation for it. It had to be true.

Finally, he glared to the stars, while only one thought filled his processor: he had to get out of Cybertron and, somehow, find that bastard. He had to finish what he started so long ago… He had to make justice…

* * *

 **Well, that's all for now!**

 **Let me know what you think!**

 **Bye!**


	24. TWENTY THREE: Echoes

**Hello! How're you doing? I hope you all are fine!**

 **Haha! It's okay if you don't know who the black mech from the end was, Gst; but, I can tell you this: is not from G1, it's an OC that I named in Knock Out's memories. Remember that, this far, I've mentioned four OCs: Millie, Sunscorch, Daybreak and Nightglider. There's, also, one more OC that will appear in the next three-four chapters.**

 **They all have a roll to play in here. ;)**

 **Sorry that the mentions of Optimus has all a sad taste, but, let's face it, he's offline in this fic... However, I thought that it would be good to put someone else with a relative high authority on his place; so I brought Elita and the others back! Glad that you liked their appearance!**

 **By the way, thoug I'm no journalist, I did study Literature in college, hoping to become a professional writer someday... But for some reason, I don't feel as confident with my original works as I am with my fics. Besides, publish a book is kind of expensive... and I'm kind of broke...**

 **I hope to read your long comments soon! Seriously, I don't mind it! :D**

 **Sorry to disappoint, InIce, but that's the way I work! Haha!**

 **Hope you don't hate me in this chapter, because I'm not following that cliff-hanger today... But I will do it! Eventually...**

 **Warning: English isn't my mother language, so there might be some grammar mistakes in this fic. Sorry.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own** ** _Transformers_** **franchise, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **TWENTY THREE: Echoes**

When Miko exited the vortex, stepping into the base, it was impossible for her not to notice two of the new three bots standing in the way. One of them was a guy of red and dark grey armor, with two impressive cannons attached to his forearms; though his kind and playful smile made him less intimidating, he was still _huge_. He was bigger than Bulkhead! So of course that she wondered if he was a Wrecker. Too bad he wasn't, but it was yet cool to know that he was a weapons specialist and one of Optimus's closest friends. The other two new teammates were femmes. One of them, the taller one, was cerulean and white, with a helm that resembled to Nefertiti's headdress. Her breast-plates, shoulder-plates, forearms, hip, and lower legs were cerulean, while the rest of her was white. She introduced herself as Chromia, lieutenant, and second in command of the femmes' army.

It surprised the Japanese girl to know that femmes and mechs didn't fight in the same army, especially because Arcee always worked with guys. The two-wheeler, then, explained that she changed armies later in war, but, originally, she served under Chromia's and Elita's command.

"Who's Elita?" The girl asked, arching an eyebrow.

"That would be me." A silky feminine voice said, as a pink femme walked into the room.

She was a little shorter than Chromia, despite of the crests of her helm which curled to the back of her head; but her manners gave away that she was the unquestioned leader of the two femmes. She was majorly pink colored, but her face, tights and pedes were white, while her upper arms, neck, and waist were black. Her eyes resembled Optimus's, which made the human wonder if they were related.

"My designation is Elita-One. Nice to meet you, Miko." The pink femme said with a smile.

"WOAH! She knows my name?!" The teenager said, surprised, while pointing at the bot and looking at her friends.

"Yeah. Ratchet told them about us." Rafael answered, briefly looking away from his laptop.

"You didn't expect me to allow them to walk around here, unknowing about the risk it means to your lives, did you?" The old medic snarled grumpily.

"No, it's just… Well, there's three of us, and she just knew that I'm Miko, so…"

"They woke up yesterday, Miko. We met then." Jack interrupted her, putting away his book. Watch the girl tripping over her words was much more fun than study Advanced Calculus.

"You know? You could've warned me about this!" She complained, while grabbing one of the older teenager's books, only to then hit him with it on the arm. "There's this super cool invention called 'E-mail', which is used to communicate with people! Try to use it once in a while!"

"Are they usually like this?" Chromia asked Ratchet.

"Sometimes worse… But it becomes entertaining after a while." He said with a shrug.

Unnoticed to the Japanese girl, nor Bumblebee, nor Knock Out were at the base. It has been a week since Millie entered the hospital, so the medic pleaded to be allowed to go and check on her. His request was so sincere that nobody had the heart to forbid him to visit the human; so he was, once again, at the clinic's parking lot, looking at the little girl through the window. She was yet unconscious, but, according to Jack's mother, she was doing just fine. "It's ok, Millie. Everything's going to be fine, just concentrate in healing, ok? We won't let anything happen to you… I won't allow it." The red Aston Martin repeated in his mind, trying to think positively about this situation. At least, he didn't have to hide his worries anymore, because he was now surrounded by bots who cared about the human race, so he was able to come and pay a visit to the girl without having to look for excuses. However, it was heartbreaking to know that she was yet wounded, and struggling to regain consciousness…

After fifteen minutes of just stay still, watching from afar, Bumblebee decided that it was time to go back to base. Reluctantly, the red car followed the yellow Camaro out of the parking lot, silently wishing the best to his human friend. The way his companion worried whenever he asked to go out of that bunker was a little bothersome, but he preferred not to mock nor say anything about it; after all, they have been attacked at the hospital's doors already, so it was only natural for Bumblebee to be jumpy. "Though I would appreciate him to calm down a bit…" The medic thought, remembering that, on their way towards the clinic, the officer kept watching the sky and checking the radar.

"If it would make you feel better, then call for a ground-bridge. It's not like there's much to do on our way back anyway…" Knock Out said with a sigh, resigned.

"I thought you said that you _wanted_ to drive, because the base was becoming suffocating, or something like that." The cop retorted, looking at his companion through his mirrors.

"I know what I said, but if you keep like this, you're going to develop a paranoia." He said, and, suddenly, he remembered when he met Breakdown. It was a similar picture, only that the bulky blue bot was hiding from his psychiatrist, not from a bunch of psychos.

The yellow bot's sanity was breaking down, alright. He had failed on his mission of keeping the prisoner safe a couple times already, if they counted the attacks that Knock Out suffered on Cybertron, and added his recent hijack and the fact that the was left alone to face the Seekers, after they knocked Bumblebee and Smokescreen out. The red medic knew that the young bot didn't want to fail in his job, because he had a lot to lose; but he was reaching his limits, meaning that he had to ease up a little.

A sudden idea popped up on his head: if Bumblebee wasn't going to take care of his own health, then he, as a medic, would. It was his job after all, wasn't it? Well, ok… Maybe he just wanted to help because, though he would never admit it out loud, he liked the kid. He was nice, and he truly worried for him.

Sighing, Knock Out waited for them to reach the road that led to the desert, before speed up to drive side by side with his guard. Then, he revved his engine.

"What are you doing?" The yellow Camaro asked, doubting his companion's intentions.

"Ugh, do I really have to translate everything to you? I'm challenging you to a race!" He stated. "Do you accept or not?!"

"I don't know… I'm not in the right mood, not with everything that's going on lately…"

"Fine. It was only a suggestion." However, as soon as Knock Out said it, Bumblebee took off, leaving him way behind, coughing in a dust cloud.

"See you at the base!"

"What the…!?" Still a little stunned, the red car sped up, trying to catch up with the Camaro. Eventually, they were, once again, side by side. " _You_ cheated?! I'm impressed…" He said, almost in a purr.

"Oh, come on! I was just messing with you!" The warrior said, chuckling.

"Whatever you say, kid…" Then, he left the Camaro behind. " _Ciao_!"

"Sometimes I really hate that guy…" Bumblebee muttered before try to catch up with the former 'Con.

* * *

On Cybertron, Ultra Magnus, carrying a long gun at his back, was again on the city's outskirts, waiting. It has been a while since the spies from the Council has gone quiet. Either, they desisted, or they were tempting him to do something stupid. Whichever it was, the commander didn't have time to wait for them to finally decide to make a move; his friends were facing a mad scientist, and he was lightyears away and unable to help them. All he was able to do was gather as much info as he could, and if the Council was planning to arrest him for helping his beloved ones, then so be it.

However, the Wrecker was also aware of the risks, and knew that he couldn't pull this off by himself. But, at the same time, he refused to drag Prowl into his personal quests anymore, especially after he almost got the kid killed by the Seekers; meaning that his options dropped almost to zero, because it was more than evident that the predacons would not help. "Fortunately, I've made some friends during the war. Time to charge some old favors…" He thought before call someone through a safe communications line.

It took large minutes, but, finally, someone approached on the distance. The blue bot sighed. He didn't really liked this guy, but there was no other choice… Jazz said that he was on a mission from the Council, so he couldn't attend the meeting.

After reaching the spot where the commander was waiting, a white and orange vehicle transformed into a tall and slim cybertronian, who had two long swords tied to his waist, and a really long one on his back.

Both mechs eyed each other for a couple minutes before greet, clearly unhappy with this situation. Well, what else were they expecting? Ultra Magnus was a loyal Autobot from the very beginning, but Drift… he was a man hunter for the Decepticons, and he has fought (and killed) the commander's friends in the past as enemies. To meet now as allies was uncomfortable to say the least. None of them wanted to be there, but the Wrecker was planning to go back to Kaon, to Darkmount to be precise, to recover and decrypt as much information as he could. He had high hopes on Prowl, but, despite being brilliant, the middle brother of the triplets was a cop, not a clerk…

Well… Neither was he, but he hoped to be useful.

Drift shifted his weight from his left to his right foot, not knowing what to do or say to his partner. Honestly, he wouldn't have accepted this assignment if it wasn't because Jazz asked him to go on his place. He owed the guy for giving him a chance (a.k.a. a job, since nobody else seemed to _really_ trust a former 'Con, especially because the only people who witnessed his change of heart were living in a planet that was located a galaxy and nebula away…). Sometimes he hated his own sense of honor… It usually brought him more trouble than anything else.

"Let's go." The blue bot suddenly said, breaking the awkward silence that covered them like a bubble. Then, transformed and started to drive towards Kaon City.

Sighing, the knight transformed and followed him. This was going to be a very, very, _very_ long day…

Both cars entered the abandoned city in complete silence, but, suddenly, Drift stopped drily and transformed without asking for permission. The other bot, seeing this through his mirrors, did the same and asked his partner what he was doing. His only answer was a hush. Ultra Magnus frowned at the gesture. Who did he think he is? He was the highest ranked officer there! The white and orange bot, however, wasn't paying attention to the commander but to their surroundings. He seemed to be scanning every ruin around them, even the sky, with his sharp eyes. So many years as a man hunter were paying off: he had incredibly sharp senses, and they were shouting at him, saying that they weren't alone…

After a few minutes of complete silence, the knight decided that their follower simply went into hiding, knowing he was detected.

"Someone's here, sir." Drift finally said, slowly, almost whispering, while walking up to the commander.

Surprised, Ultra Magnus looked around with his eyebrows frowned.

"A Council's spy?" He wondered. Were they just waiting for him to make a stupid mistake like trespassing this accursed city to arrest him? Were their regents so vile?

"No. Or, at least, I don't think so… This kind of hunting… It's the same I have seen in my days as a Decepticon, but…" He really couldn't tell whether it was a renegade 'Con or a spy.

Despite this warning, the blue bot simply nodded and kept walking; it was an attitude that didn't please the former Decepticon, who knew that it would bring them calamity. Their hunters would pounce on them if they acted like that; was that what he wanted? Probably. Drift knew that the shadows were their pursuers' greatest ally right now, but to force them into the light like this… It was reckless. Though, this might the normal "Wrecker-style" everyone used to talk about; after all, Ultra Magnus _was_ the Wreckers' commander. He wasn't sure… The only Wrecker he ever met was Perceptor, and he didn't end very well…

One way or another, Drift didn't liked this plan. They were too exposed on the main road… They could, at least, take cover on a side street; although it was also a bad idea, since it meant less room to move in case of getting attacked. Actually, no matter how much he thought about their situation, all his predictions finished with them being attacked. Frowning, the white and orange bot simply followed the soldier… But he decided to have his hands already on his swords, just in case. Seeing this, Ultra Magnus told him to relax. Drift arched an eyebrow.

"But, that way, our hunter won't know that we're aware of his presence." He complained, pointing it out as if it was a tactical mistake.

"And that's exactly what I want them to believe." The commander stated before keep walking. "Besides, if it's not a Council's spy, I think I know who's behind us… They're just making my job easier."

It took them over an hour of walk in silence, but, finally, they arrived to the infamous Darkmount tower, where the Wrecker hoped to find something to help his friends back on Earth; but, all he found was a broken mainframe. Growling, the commander had to accept the fact that Shockwave was, once again, one step ahead them.

"He knew I would return here, so he destroyed everything. I should've expected this…" He muttered, inspecting the control panel, which was utterly destroyed.

Drift, who decided to stay put next to the entrance door, watched the blue bot as he tried to find something, anything, that could help him arrest that mad scientist. To tell the truth, the knight wasn't paying true attention to his companion; despite of playing for the same team now, the memories from other times, when he fought death matches against the Atuobots seemed to refresh on his processor whenever he was around the blue Wrecker. Though he couldn't, nor would, deny that he respected the commander for his bravery and loyalty to his men during the war, the fact that he has always been so loyal to Optimus and his cause made Drift doubt himself a little. After all, many knew who he was and the thing he did… Some even still called him Deadlock at his back.

He sighed and watched the dark corridor through which they came in. Nothing. Then, he looked again at his companion, who was inspecting the mainframe's wreck, and couldn't help but wonder: was the commander one of those bots? He hoped not. Drift could still remember when Jazz took him into his unit. While the short white mech led the knight out the building, many Autobots around them started to whisper in disapproval.

"Ignore them…" The lieutenant told him, disregarding the comments with a wave of his hand. "You've proved yourself already with my old buddy Kup during the war."

"You know him?" He asked, surprised, since the old soldier never mentioned Jazz before.

"Yeah, I do. We went on a mission together once, but, then, he transferred to the Wreckers; and, then, he started a Special Ops team, and got off the planet; and, then, I totally lost contact with him… Last time I heard about that old rascal, after we returned to the planet, he mentioned you." The white mech explained. "Oh! And, by the way, if you liked to work with him, you're gonna love your new partner, Crosshairs. Same MO… Maybe a little more troublesome, but I'm sure you'll put up with him in no time."

A thud noise that came through the hallway brought the white and orange bot back to reality. Someone was coming, and, considering the surroundings, it wasn't a friend. Getting in position, Drift gripped one of his swords, thing that called Ultra Magnus attention, who quickly unfolded his blasters. Now both of them could clearly hear the strong and steady steps that were approaching through the dark corridor; whoever their opponent was, it was big and heavy, and nor the commander, nor the former hunter believed that it was one of the Seekers.

Finally, the intruder charged against the warriors, who dodged him easily; and Drift had a good look at him: a bulky mech of green and purple armor, with red optics. The Deceptions insignia was proudly craved into his arms. But, regardless of his body structure, he wasn't really impressive, and because of his size, in comparison to Ultra Magnus's, it was also hard for the knight to take this enemy seriously.

"Identify yourself." The blue mech demanded, aiming at him with his blasters.

"You can call me Scrapper, you, Autobot scum." The intruder said, in a rough voice before charge against the other two mechs again, only that, this time, Drift didn't move away.

The bot drew his swords and readied to fight, forgetting completely about Ultra Magnus, who attempted to stop the green Decepticon with his blasters. But Scrapper's armor was too thick, and the shots bounced on him; it was like throw water balloons to a bullet train. "Not good." The commander thought, before order the white and orange bot to get off the way; yet, Drift didn't listen, convinced that his swords would slash the bastard in half. The Wrecker gritted his teeth and ran towards his partner, pushing him off the way, right on time; unfortunately, it meant to take the hit instead.

A very stunned Drift saw how the commander rolled several feet away, with a fresh dent on the side of his torso; knowing that he was in debt, the knight got on his feet and ran towards the Decepticon. When the green bot turned around, the Autobot waved his swords, giving Scrapper only one second to shield his face with his forearm in attempt to save his head.

The result was unexpected: Drift's swords didn't even leave a scratch, in fact, one of the blades broke in half. "What?!" It was physically impossible. His weapons were forged using the techniques of the ancients (or so the knights told him)! What kind of armor did this guy wear?! Still in disbelief, the white and orange mech was taken by surprise and kicked on the waist by the 'Con, who chuckled at his shocked face.

"Well, at least it was worth the pain." Scrapper commented, checking his own arm, pleased to see only a minimal scratch when he should've lost the limb. Then, he grabbed Drift by the throat. The green bot arched an eyebrow. "Your face… You look familiar, have we met before?"

"No, we haven't." In a desperate move to regain freedom, the knight punched the 'Con in the face. Indeed, his opponent wobbled back, allowing him to grab his weapons and ran towards Ultra Magnus, who was having a hard time to collect himself from the floor. Drift kneeled next to him. "We must retreat! His armor is too thick for our weapons!"

"Ugh… Noticed…" The commander moaned in pain.

Both mechs got up and started to leave the room, but they were intercepted in the hallway. Ultra Magnus couldn't believe his eyes: Skywarp and Thundercracker were standing on their way, forcing them to go back to the top of the tower, where Scrapper was waiting them. Both Seekers looked surprised at the presence of the green bot, since both of them thought that he was terminated. The non-flyer bot rolled his eyes and huffed at the comment.

"But, if you were alive, where have you been?" Skywarp wondered out loud.

"We could've used your team in the battlefield, you know?" Thundercracker added.

The green bot shrugged.

"Shockwave called me and my Constructicons for some weird experiment, and, before I knew it, the damn mad scientist put me into a stasis pod for who-knows-how-long. When I woke up, I was in Darkmount, all alone."

"Shockwave…?" Ultra Magnus repeated with wide eyes, seeing a pattern in all this.

Was this guy part of the chief scientist's master plan? How? He was expecting a weapon, not another soldier. Though, if he thought about it properly, this was no ordinary soldier; his armor was thick enough to bounce his handgun's shots, and to crack Drift's swords. What did Shockwave do to him? What for? Maybe, and just maybe, Knock Out would be able to put the pieces into place; but, first, he needed to get out of this alive. However, he wasn't seeing _how_ to escape from Darkmount with his spark still beating; not when he had three psychopaths aiming their guns at his head… And, on top of that, two of the three had wings… Even if Drift and he somehow made it to the exit door, the Seekers would reach them in a glimpse. Game over. "I really need to stop coming here…" The commander thought, and promised to Primus that, if he survived, he won't set foot on Darkmount ever again…

The knight's thoughts weren't too far from the Wrecker's. He was, also, trying to find a way out of there. "We don't stand a chance if we use our wheels… But, maybe…" Gazing his partner from the corner of his eye, Drift tried to calculate Ultra Magnus's weight. The blue bot was way larger than him, so he was probably way heavier. It wouldn't help his plan, but, at least they would be able to get out of the tower… The real problem would be get _away_ from it.

"Oh, well… One issue at the time." He thought. Then, biting his lip, the warrior grabbed the Wrecker by the arm, telling the blue mech to trust, at the same time that he was dragging him towards the edge of the platform. Between the commander's yelling (who was kind of doubting of his partner's sane mind), and the heavy fire they were getting from the Decepticons behind them, Drift started to have second thoughts… "No, this is the only way out!" He told himself… and jumped off the tower, still holding his partner by the arm.

Astonished, the three Decepticons approached to the platform's brim to watch those two Autobots fell freely to the ground. Did they just committed suicide? What were they thinking?! They were no flyers!

… And there's where they were wrong: suddenly, the white and orange mech transformed, but not into a car… but into a chopper. "What the…?!" Ultra Magnus held as firmly as he could from his companion, while the helicopter struggled to stay in the air. The extra weight wasn't helping his flying skills…

"So you're a Triple Changer?!" The commander wondered out loud, still working on believe what he just saw.

"Not many knows about this. It's an uncommon thing… But yes." Drift said, before a missile exploded next to him. "And… the Seekers are after us!"

The Wrecker looked above his shoulder, seeing that both flyers were in pursuit. Gritting his teeth, the blue bot started to scan their surroundings, trying to come up with a plan. He couldn't counterattack in this position, and Drift wouldn't be able to hold them up much longer; their only logical option was to land somewhere, so he looked down. There was a building tall enough for him to drop on it.

"Drop me on that tower! I attack from the ground, you from air!" Ultra Magnus ordered.

"Understood!"

With a quick, yet rough move, the chopper made a circle on top of the said building, where the commander let go from his friend, falling into his feet. He grunted in pain at the impact, but quickly took forth the long gun that he has been carrying all day, and started the counter attack, while Drift did the same from the sky. It was obvious that the Triple Changer was a little rusty when it comes to fight in this form; so Ultra Magnus did his best in order to support his partner. However, at some point, Thundercracker had a lucky shot that hit the Wrecker right in the chest, sending him backwards. "Scrap!" Seeing that the commander needed him, Drift flew towards the building to cover him.

The knight transformed and picked up the commander's long weapon. "Huh… It's been a while…" He thought, while placing his finger on the trigger, reading himself to shoot if those oversized flies got any closer. However, the Seekers just laughed and flew off, towards Darkmount. Seeing that they weren't of interest any longer, the white and orange bot sighed in relief, while putting down the gun. This wasn't looking good… What were the Seekers doing back in this part of Cybertron? Who was this "Scrapper" guy? Why did Shockwave hide him inside of Darkmount during the war? What was going on?! The only person who seemed to know the answers was Ultra Magnus. Maybe it was time to ask to be informed; he deserved it! He came to this forgotten city with him, he watched his back… He saved his aft! Ultra Magnus owed him! Big time!

But when he turned to check his partner, Drift noticed that the information would have to wait: the commander was unconscious, and, by the looks of it, he needed a medic. Immediately. "Hang in there, sir." He thought while calling Jazz. If that guy couldn't get him a ground-bridge, nobody could.

From afar, a feminine figure came out between some old buildings. She was confused, shivering, shaken by what she just witnessed. "The commander was…?" Trembling, she called her superiors, but hung up immediately… and called a good friend instead.

"Hi… Um… I-I need some advice."

A green vortex that opened at the building's top told her that they were already evacuating the commander and his partner.

* * *

 **So... That's all for now!**

 **Please let me know what you think, ok?**

 **See ya soon!**


	25. TWENTY FOUR: Spoils from the War

**Hello, there!**

 **Hey, remember that last time I said that there was one more OC to appear? Well, my bad, there are two more OCs to come. I forgot because I recently added the second one, so, sorry... But, as I said, they all have a rol to fulfill in here.**

 **And, speaking of my OCs... Let's go back to Knock Out's past!**

 **Warning: English isn't my mother language, so there might've be some grammar mistakes in here.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own** ** _Transformers_** **franchise, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **TWENTY FOUR: Spoils from the War**

Say that the base was quiet was not even close; when Fowler entered the bunker, the man was taken aback by the sepulchral silence that lurked in the place. He could even hear his own heartbeat. "Where's everyone?" He wondered, while walking towards his office, right when giant and metallic footsteps came down the hallway that led to the bots' quarters. Within a minute or two, Ratchet appeared at the control room, carrying a toolbox. The medic greeted the human and kneeled down, next to one of the panels of the main computer. Fowler arched an eyebrow at this. Wasn't Wheeljack a mechanic? Why was Ratchet repairing the systems? Then, the question that popped into his mind when he entered returned to him; only that, now, he had someone to ask it.

"Where's everyone?" He wondered, this time out loud, while scanning the room with his eyes.

"Ironhide, Elita and Chromia are with Smokescreen, searching for new vehicle-forms to fit into this planet. Arcee is on her way to pick up Jack from college; the Wreckers are patrolling; Bumblebee is in the training room; and Knock Out is resting, since he stood up all night trying to decrypt Shockwave's research." The medic answered, while disassembling the panel, only to, finally, inspect the parts. "I found him sleeping in the floor, with a datapad on his hand, and the mainframe running a basic decryption program on the document." Then, he took a particular piece to take a closer look; however, he ended up looking up at Fowler. "Honestly, I was surprised to see him in such state."

"You tell me? That guy hijacked me a couple years ago!" The man reminded him, while resuming his way to his office. Then, he stopped with a sigh. "But, I have to admit that he has been acting differently in these past weeks…"

"As I told you, Agent Fowler, though I'm no psychiatrist, I believe that Knock Out is healing from some trauma." The medic, then, looked at the part he had in hands, before put it away and look for a replacement. "Whatever thing that happened, that made him the Decepticon we knew, is finally being left behind." As soon as he placed the new part, the whole computer started to work like new.

Inside of his quarters, Knock Out was lying on his berth, reading Shockwave's cryptic research. All he could understand were some random names of some Decepticon soldiers that he barely remembered from files; he never met some of them, but learnt their names when he was looking for the traitor who killed Sunscorch. His spark shrunk at the memory of her name, but he decided to put his pain aside for the moment. Now wasn't the time to start feeling pity for his past, not when he had a bunch of Seekers and a mad scientist about to restart the war. He could barely handle it when it broke out the first time, he wouldn't survive a second; especially now that he was a traitor to the Decepticons, and a fugitive for the major part of Cybertron's population. "Ugh! This is useless!" He thought, while snarling and sitting up. He spent the whole night trying to decipher, at least, one paragraph from the text; yet, all he got was a terrible headache, numb legs, and a major ache on his back. Yes, sleep on the floor was probably not the best idea he ever had. The last time he did something like that, he was a Neutral, working on a field clinic… and he had a patient recovering from surgery sleeping in the room's stretcher.

Sighing, he rubbed his face in a weak attempt to wake him up. He already have had breakfast, and took a shower. A normal person would've decided to take a nap, but he refused to do it. He had no time for napping, not with those psychos running free. He sighed and grabbed his datapad one more time, but he was barely able to concentrate, so he put the research aside and opened another text, which he also downloaded during the night. Maybe it was the tiredness he had, or maybe his processor wasn't working normally after being deprived from sleep for more than five hours; but the truth was that he downloaded _The Little Prince_ and started to read it while the decryption program was running. Honestly, the main reason why he did such thing was because he happened to remember Millie's state, and, for some reason, to read the same book that she cherished, back when they met, helped him to remember her as she was two years ago. Last night, when he was busy, working on Shockwave's research, he downloaded the book to shoo away the image of Millie lying on that ambulance… He didn't want to remember her like that, he wanted to remember her like the happy little girl from the glade.

"If I only could do the same with all my friendships…" He thought with a sigh. From all his Cybertronian friends, the only one with who he shared happy moments was Breakdown, because they met before the war started… But Sunscorch and Nightglider came into his life when the conflict was already going on, and didn't have so many good memories with them, because there was no time to create them. Though… he somehow managed to create some precious remembrances with the crimson femme. He was glad for it, because he lost her almost as quickly as he met her…

* * *

He was running one way to another, trying to find the accursed defibrillator, only to find out that it was being used on another patient. Under normal circumstances it should be one per room, but given that they were on a field clinic, and in the middle of a war, they should be thankful that there was at least _one_. By the time he was able to take the equipment, Breakdown came up, saying that they lost the guy…

"Scrap!" Infuriated, Knock Out rudely gave the machine to a nurse that was passing by. He hated to lose patients! It was one of the worst things for a medic! Then, after seeing his friend's pale face at his reaction, the red bot took a deep breath to calm himself down. He needed to be ice cold to keep treating the other soldiers. "Okay, call it, and fill the formulary; make sure you write the exact time. Meanwhile I'll go with the next patient in line."

"Got it. Oh! And… she's back." The blue laborer told him, before go back to the room where their previous patient was.

"Let me guess: broken limbs? A hole in the chest? Acid shower?" Knock Out started to point out, while grabbing some stuff that he needed for the guy he was about to attend. Breakdown turned to look at him with a quizzical look at the last question. "Don't ask…" The red medic warned him with tired eyes and slightly shaking his head in denial.

"No, actually… she looked in one piece this time. She only told me to call you, and to tell you that she was in some sort of hurry, so…" The blue bot shrugged. He really didn't know what that femme wanted this time.

Sighing, Knock Out made sure that he had all the equipment he needed, and walked towards the entrance, where he found Sunscorch. She was, indeed, in one piece (only some minor scratches on her paint; but, hey, she just came from the battlefront); the only thing that called the medic's attention was that she seemed to be in deep thoughts, with her eyes looking down in a depressive way, and her arms crossed in front of her chest. The red mech cocked his head to the right, while walking closer to her. The femme didn't noticed him, until he cleared his throat.

"Knock Out…" She muttered, like coming back from a trance. Then, she looked at all the things he was carrying around and chuckled, while placing a hand on her hip. "Hey, I know that I tend to get hurt, but this is already too much…" She mocked, while gesturing to the stuff he had between his arms.

"Ha, ha… Very funny." He retorted, rolling his eyes. "Though you may like to believe it, you're _not_ my _only_ patient; so I hope that you can talk and walk at the same time, because I have to keep moving." He told her, while gesturing with his head to follow him, at the same time he turned to leave.

"It's alright with me, I'm multi-tasking." The femme said, shrugging.

Knock Out entered a consulting room in which was a soldier who survived an underground mine. Due to his injuries, the Velocitronian chose to keep the guy on stasis, until further advice; however, his legs were a complete mess when he arrived, and though he repaired him as much as he could, in the end he had to look for some spare parts to replace the limbs. Unfortunately, that morning, they found out that the poor warrior wasn't answering to the treatment as well as he wished, so, now, Knock Out would have to deal with a massive infection in the lower extremities. As he prepared his equipment and cleaned his hands, Sunscorch simply stood there, gazing upon the patient with an unreadable face. The medic noticed this, and arched an eyebrow wondering what she was thinking at that moment. Then, she sighed and clenched her fists, before turn to look at him eye to eye.

"I came to say goodbye." She stated, quickly, dryly. He knew why: she always told him that there was no point in prolonging something that was painful, that it was better to do it quickly.

"You're going to the battlefront again, aren't you?" He asserted, tired of seeing her in pieces, needing his help to survive another day; only to be torn apart over and over… The medic sighed and walked towards his current patient to start the treatment. "Where will you go now?" He asked, while scanning the soldier, trying to find the right spot to inject the medicine.

"Kaon's walls…"

Knock Out's pulse failed him for a minute, and he had to turn around to look at her in disbelief. Did she just said…?

"Where?" He asked, really wanting to believe that he misheard her.

"Kaon's walls. We're going to divert the 'Cons, so Ironhide and his team can snatch the engine parts that those morons stole from us last night." She explained, crossing her arms once more. It wasn't easier for her to say it, than for him to hear it, but still…

"Are you out of your fragging mind?! You can't go there! Not again!" He snapped, waving his arms around, gesticulating towards her scarred body, while gripping the scanner and the syringe. "You barely made it out the first time!"

"I'm not planning to go _inside_ Kaon! I just need to call the guards' attention, that's all!" She retorted, trying to calm him down. Well, it wasn't working!

"Inside, outside… What's the difference?! Last time you were sent to that place, you and Springer were taken prisoners and tortured for days! And, on top of that, you told me that the only reason why you escaped was because he lured the guards to a trap, giving you time to run!" He reminded her, glaring. Then, he snarled and put his instruments in a nearby table, so he could massage his temples. "I knew it… I fragging knew that one of these days I was going to attend your funeral, instead of your wounds!" Then, he looked at her, at the verge of an attack. "Isn't there _anybody else_ to take the mission but you?! There must be someone stupid enough to gladly go to assault the Decepticons' stronghold!"

"Nobody wants to go there, K-Out! That's why _I_ volunteered!"

"Well, there goes my answer then…" He commented, placing a hand on his hip, and the other on his forehead.

Growling, Sunscorch grabbed him by the arms, pulling the medic closer to her face, and preventing him from gesticulate. She didn't have the energy, nor the time, to start an argument with him; she knew the implications of this job, but she also knew that nobody else would take it. Besides, she was familiar with the landscape; she knew where to hide, and how to maneuver there…

She was the only logical option.

"I know you won't approve what I did, and I know that you are the kind of guy who worries for everything and for everyone, that's why I wasn't sure if I should tell you, but…" Sunscorch looked away and sighed for a moment there. "But I also knew that if I didn't, then you would never forgive me… nor would I. You're the only one who knows what happened those days when I was taken prisoner, so you were the only one who would possibly understand the fear I'm feeling right now… And you're the only one who's able to give me the strength to do it…" She finally confessed, while lowering her head, not wanting to look at him.

She was trembling and sobbing. It was almost surreal for Knock Out to be witnessing this side of her. It was the first time he saw Sunscorch so weak and fragile. Was this the same femme who punched him in the face because he restrained her from leaving the field clinic? Where was the fearless warrior who liked to jump into action, never minding if there was a plan or not? Where was his Sunscorch?

Sad of seeing her like this, the red mech sighed, before pass his arms around his companion, trying to reassure her. That's when he felt her hiding her face on the crook of his neck, sobbing in fear. He started to stroke her back.

"It's ok… It's ok… I know you'll be fine this time. You're stronger now, and you won't be alone; the twins will be with you the whole time. I'm sure that a couple days from now, we'll meet again." He tried to comfort her, but she simply kept crying. "Probably with you lying on my stretcher, but…" He added, and was able to hear her chuckling against his shoulder.

Feeling better, the femme took a step back, wiping the remaining tears.

"Thanks, K-Out. I needed to hear that." She said, smiling. Then she glanced towards the soldier that the medic was about to attend when she confessed her orders. "I gotta go, and you have a guy to patch up, so…"

"I guess we'll be seeing soon, then." He completed with a smirk, while grabbing his tools to resume the procedure.

"One more thing."

The red medic saw her placing her Energon prod on the table, next to his own tools. He arched an eyebrow and looked at her, waiting for a further explanation.

"The battle seems to be advancing towards this place. Look, I know that Breakdown is strong enough to fight for both of you, but… Just in case. You know how to use it, I imagine." She said, and smiled when he grabbed the item and turned it on. "Good. Take care…"

"Hey, that's my line." He retorted, playfully, making her chuckle. "Once you're done, you know where to find me. Good luck, Sun."

The femme nodded, and started to leave. However, for some reason, this time she kissed him on the cheek before leave the clinic…

That was the last time they talked…

* * *

"Why do I keep doing this to myself?" He wondered, while sighing and lying down on his berth. Perhaps, a quick nap wasn't such a bad idea after all…

Ratchet was about to cut the mainframe in half. Now he understood why Knock Out fell asleep on the floor the previous night; the decryption program was way too slow, and, this far, he has only been able to decode a very, _very_ small fragment. Major part of it was a list of names. There was only one he knew: Ambulon, a medic who worked under Pharma's orders during the war, was mentioned in the document. If he remembered his story correctly, the guy _was_ a Decepticon, but something awful happened to him and his team; then, one night, at the first chance he had to run away, he reached for the closest Autobot outpost, and begged to switch sides. But, since he didn't remain on that outpost (he was told to return to Optimus's base, where the _Ark_ was being built), he wasn't sure of what happened with Ambulon after that night… Maybe Knock Out would be able to make some sense out of this fragment. Growling under his breath, the old bot decided to call the red mech for help; but he didn't walked too far, since, after two steps, an alarm started to ring. "An Autobot S.O.S.?" He arched an eyebrow and cocked his head, while trying to pinpoint the coordinates.

Another screen showed that Bulkhead and Wheeljack were already coming back to base. Good. No need to mobilize Bumblebee and Knock Out.

The green vortex closed behind the two Wreckers who walked into the jungle with their guns ready for an ambush. Wheeljack was the one holding the scanner, muttering that he didn't liked the situation: the signal originated a few klicks away from the _Black Moon_ 's wreckage, and, knowing what was inside of that vessel, he suspected some sort of trap. Bulkhead nodded, saying that he was suspicious too, but… Well, they did find Autobot survivors. There was a slight chance that they missed somebody. The white bot shrugged. It was possible, but it was improbable…

Back at the base, Bumblebee and Knock Out appeared at the control room.

"What's with the alarm?" The warrior wondered. Knock Out was too busy yawning to be able to ask anything.

"The sensors received an Autobot S.O.S. coming from the whereabouts of the _Black Moon_." The older medic explained quickly, before return to the instruments.

The other two bots in the room shared a look and arched an eyebrow. Did they forget someone back on that wreckage?

Wheeljack was starting to feel uneasy with this recon. They have been walking for too long in complete silence, and there was nothing that indicated the presence of another Cybertronian in the area. "I've a _bad_ feeling…" He thought, while putting aside the scanner for a minute, and turning to look at his partner.

"Ok, this is ridiculous. There's no one here, Bulk." He stated, gesturing to their surroundings. "Let's call for pickup."

"Huh… I don't know, Jackie. What if someone is really calling for help?" The green bot said, stopping his friend from contacting the base. "Besides, not all the ships has returned to Cybertron; what if someone got stranded on Earth, and is hurt or something? I say we finish this recon. Just to be sure." He added.

"Ugh… Alright, let's finish this mission. But let's do it quickly. I really don't like this place." The Wrecker gave in, resuming his march.

Following the signal, both warriors ended up in a river's shore, where they heard the roar of a plane's engine. A Seeker! Putting away the scanner, Wheeljack readied his weapons, next to Bulkhead; both Wreckers glanced up to the sky, where a cerulean airship appeared into view. Identifying it as Thundercracker, both Autobots opened fire. Strangely, the newcomer didn't answered the attack, in fact, it made strange pirouettes in order to be able to land next to the Wreckers who were trying to keep him afar.

"Wait! I'm friendly! Friendly!" The flyer yelled, desperate.

"What the…?! Jackie! Hold on!" Bulkhead grabbed his friend's arm and pushed it down, realizing that it wasn't Thundercracker's voice. "Identify yourself!"

The aircraft approached their position and transformed in midair into a young mech, whose contexture was similar to Bumblebee's, except that he had actual wings. His face was slender, with sharp cheeks; his eyes were bright blue; his helm had crests that curved to the back of his head, giving him an outline that reminded to a hawk; his helm, wings, torso, shoulders, hips, forearms, and lower legs were sky-blue. There was a red tattoo of two concentric circles (it was actually a writing that read: "To serve and protect. Brothers in arms. Brothers in blood") on his right wing; on the left one, the Wreckers could appreciate the Autobots' insignia.

"My designation is Daybreak."

* * *

 **That's all for now.**

 **Waiting to read your opinions about the chapter!**

 **Bye!**


	26. TWENTY FIVE: Family Issues part 1

**Hello, world! How're you all doing? I hope you're fine!**

 **Thanks to Gst, and PrimalScreamer for their reviews! ;)**

 **Hi, Gst! Answering to your comments:**

 **-The reason I don't like the idea of publishing an original idea in a digital format is simple, actually: I'm afraid of plagiarism. If it's easy to copy-paste a book, it's even easier with a digitalized story... Call me old fashioned...**

 **-About language: try to guess.**

 **-Your comment of "Bye, bye, Optimus, see you when we launch a new line of toys" made me laugh. I actually imagined a cartoony drawing of some Hasbro CEO waving at Optimus while saying this.**

 **-About motivation: wait five more chapters. Then you'll have Knock Out telling his whole story with all details.**

 **-Glad to know that you like this fic so much! Hope you enjoy what's to come!**

 **Hi, PrimalScreamer! Yeah, I admit that in previous chapters I didn't used line breaks or something to indicate the space/time jumps... It was a mistake that I corrected with the time. I hope you could still enjoy the chapters that has that flaw! Sorry for the confusing interruptions though...**

 **Warning: English isn't my mother language, so I might've committed some grammar mistakes. Sorry.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own** ** _Transformers_** **franchise, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **TWENTY FIVE: Family Issues part 1**

Elita-One, Chromia and Ironhide were ready to return to base, so Smokescreen called, asking for a ground-bridge. While they waited for the medic to open a vortex for them, the pink femme glanced towards the landscape, admiring this strange planet called Earth. It was so different from Cybertron, yet, it was so beautiful too… She somehow understood why Bumblebee liked this world so much. She chuckled at the memory of the yellow bot telling her about the day they landed in the planet, about how they met Agent Fowler, and how Optimus got them their first base. Then, he kept going on and on about the day they scanned their new vehicle modes, and how they had to learn the human traffic rules in order to fit in without looking suspicious. Also, he described with a lot of details how they ran into the children, and how they befriended them almost immediately (except for Ratchet), even Optimus; and, then, told her about Jack's trip to Vector Sigma, and so on… "He hasn't change. You raised him well, Optimus…" She thought, remembering the day when Ironhide entered the base carrying a pair of sparklings, one in each arm. One of them was Bumblebee.

Suddenly, a strange feeling, like an itch, appeared on her spark. Startled, the femme looked down at her chest and opened it. Her spark-chamber seemed to be fine. "What was that?" She wondered, arching an eyebrow. Chromia snapped her out of her thoughts, announcing that Ratchet opened a ground-bridge for them. Elita thanked her friend and, closing her chest-plates, entered the vortex following the others.

* * *

Wheeljack and Bulkhead lowered their weapons after noticing the Autobots' insignia carved into this stranger's wing. The cerulean bot was somewhere between Smokescreen's and Knock Out's age, maybe Arcee's.

"My designation is Daybreak." He said, introducing himself.

The Wreckers exchanged a quizzical look.

"I'm Bulkhead, and this is Wheeljack." The green bot said.

"What're you doing here, kid?" The white warrior asked, crossing his arms and cocking his head. Something in his gut was telling him not to trust this guy…

"I… Don't know. I woke up inside of an abandoned ship." The flyer said, scratching his head, and looking around as if he was trying to remember something important. "Last thing I remember is that my team and I were on our way to Kaon's walls, and then… I-I guess we were attacked, because I completely blacked out!" He looked around, examining the landscape. "What's this planet's name? Where are we? Who's winning?"

"Hey, hey! Calm down, kid!" Bulkhead told him, gesturing him to relax, and walking up to the cerulean bot. "It's okay. This is going to be a little confusing for ya', but… The war is over. We won."

"What?!" He lowered his eyes and looked at the ground, trying to swallow the information.

"We're on planet Earth. It's filled with organic lifeforms that ignores our presence, and we liked that way, understood?" Wheeljack told him, still feeling something fishy around this guy. He was almost sure that he heard the name 'Daybreak' before, but where?

"You'll understand, eventually. Come on, let's go back to base, first. You need a medical check." The green bot said, placing a hand over one of the flyer's shoulders.

The cerulean bot nodded and started to walk, somewhat unsteadily, probably for the long time he must've spent in stasis. Or, at least, that's what the Wreckers believed; after all, the only reason for him to appear here, so close to the _Black Moon_ 's wreckage was that he must've been a prisoner. But… why didn't they detected him? True that they didn't make a complete swept of the ship, but still…

It was then when another plane's engine was heard in the place. The Wreckers glanced to Daybreak, asking if there was somebody else with him, but the young bot denied with his head, saying that when he woke up he was alone. Then, the warriors got ready to fight, while calling back to base, stating that someone was approaching, and that they had a survivor with them. As the ground-bridge opened behind the three mechs, a pitch black jet appeared in the clean sky. Its shapes were identical to Daybreak's; only that this guy was in rage, and opened fire as soon as he saw the cerulean bot, who quickly transformed and took off. An aerial battle started between both flyers, until the cerulean one got hit in one of his wings. It wasn't a fatal wound, but it should be enough to shove him off the sky… Or not. The sky-blue aircraft made a loop that allowed him to put himself behind the black ship; now Daybreak was in fire range, but he didn't count with his opponent making a quick maneuver that made him crash with the other, sending them both down to the ground.

Wheeljack and Bulkhead exchanged a baffled look, before tell the others what happened. Moments later, Smokescreen and Arcee were in the jungle, next to the Wreckers. The vortex closed behind them as the four bots ran towards the impact zone. When they reached the place, they found Daybreak trapped below another mech of black armor. It had the same red tattoo, only that he had it on his left wing.

"Stand down!" Wheeljack ordered, aiming him with his blasters.

The black bot glanced at them from above his shoulder, surprising everyone. They were…

In front of everyone's eyes, Daybreak took off again, disappearing in the distance. The other guy intended to do the same.

"If you transform, I shoot!" The white mech warned him.

"What the…?! He's running away!" The stranger complained.

"Yeah, and you're going nowhere." Smokescreen said, while calling for a ground-bridge.

From between the trees and bushes, a pair of red optics saw the five bots enter the green vortex.

Back at base, the whole team was waiting for their friends to return from the field. Smokescreen was the first one in exit the portal, followed closely by the Wreckers and Arcee. Finally, a black winged mech crossed the wormhole and stepped into the bunker.

Knock Out gasped in surprise as the stranger entered the base, making everyone look at him with an arched eyebrow. Recognition was written all over the red medic's face.

"Nightglider?!" The Velocitronian asked, gaining the newcomer's attention. The stranger's eyes widened when they laid on the medic's silhouette. Knock Out's smile grew wider, while he walked towards the flyer, who smiled back at him. "Thanks the stars! It _is_ you!

"K-Out?! Wow! I can't believe it! You're still alive!" The flyer said, happiness written all over his face.

Both mechs exchanged a friendly hug.

"It's been eons, since the last time I saw you, doc!" The newcomer remarked.

The medic chuckled at the comment, suddenly getting serious when he remembered what became of the clinic…

"I'm glad you made it. When I heard the field clinic was attacked, I…"

"It was, but we evacuated it on time." Nightglider interrupted him. "However, what happened to the others afterwards, I have no clue…" He added, shrugging.

"Um… Old buddies?" Bulkhead asked out loud, scratching the back of his helm, and glancing from the flyer to the medic and back.

"You could say that. 'Glider was one of my regular patients back when I was a Neutral." Knock Out explained with a bright smile.

"You? A Neutral? When?" Arcee asked, arching an eyebrow. She never doubted that the medic has been a Decepticon from the very beginning.

"It's… a long and personal story, which I'm not in the mood to share." The velocitronian said, looking away and placing his hands at the sides of his hip. Bumblebee arched an eyebrow, remembering that he once asked for the same story, and got the same answer. The red medic sighed, knowing that his guard would press him to tell him the truth, if not now, in the next five minutes. "Alright… I've been a Decepticon only two million years, only half of the war. Before that, I was a Neutral and worked on a field clinic repairing warriors, such as you. There was where I met 'Glider and his partners, and we became friends. Later, and for _really personal reasons_ , I became a Decepticon. Not because I believed in Megatron's oath, but because I was in a _personal_ manhunt." He said, and crossed his arms. "That's as far as my explanation will go."

"Ok, ok. We get it. You: personal life remains personal. You two: friends." Wheeljack said. "Question: why did this guy almost shot his twin's head off?" He added, pointing at the newcomer with his index finger, and arching an eyebrow.

At the mention of Nightglider's twin, the red medic grew paler and started to stammer something like "That's impossible…" before excuse himself and run back to his quarters. It was impossible not to find such attitude suspicious, and Bumblebee decided that he would question the medic for it later; but, now, he had to concentrate on this flyer. Time to do some classic cop's work: interrogation.

Knock Out was pacing one side to the other, like a caged animal, biting his claws, trying to tell himself that it was impossible, that Nightglider must've been wrong. But, how? They were spark-twins, so they could feel each other's presence, and the black armored mech has never been on Earth before, meaning that, if he was in the planet, was because Daybreak's presence brought him here. The medic felt himself hyperventilating as he sat in the berth's brim, and placed his head between his hands. Two million years… He waited two million years… He lost Breakdown and became a war prisoner… And this was his answer?

At the same time, Nightglider couldn't blame the bots for not trusting him, but this was already a little too much: he was sitting on the med-bay, with the bots standing around him. Yup. He was in interrogation… "Now you gotta be kiddin' me…" He thought, crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes.

* * *

Meanwhile, Skywarp and Thundercracker returned from Cybertron, next to Scrapper, a long lost soldier. Without minding to share the reasons of why he hid such important piece of information, such as the fact of one of the Constructicons still being alive; Shockwave took the newcomer away to talk in private, reason why Starscream and his Seekers were alone in the control room when the call came in. It was a femme. She identified herself as Lieutenant Solar Flare, thing that got the scientist's attention, who promptly answered the communication. The air commander looked at this with curiosity. What was Shockwave's relationship with this femme?

"Here Chief Scientist Shockwave. Do you have the cargo?" He asked, without wait for any further information.

« _No. But I know how and where to find it… if you open a ground-bridge for us…_ » The femme retorted, with a cocky tune of voice that sounded kind of familiar on Starscream's ears.

Before he could gesture his partner not to do it without have a little chat before, Shockwave opened a wormhole for this mysterious character, saying that she was of trust. However, when the first person in step into the base was a cerulean flyer, who happened to have the insignia of the Autobots carved in his wing, Skywap didn't hesitate in activate his weapons… only to be shot on the arms, incapacitating him.

"Next time you aim that thing at one of us, I'll shoot at your head. Understood?" The same voice from the commlink said. It was clearly a threat, but the way she said it… It was almost seductive at the same time, as if you were looking forward to it.

The Seekers' eyes widened and their jaws fell at the sight of the newcomer. Her manners; her way to talk, to walk; her silhouette… She was identical to…

Eager to have an explanation Starscream looked at the scientist who said that, long time ago, he had a young assistant in the field, a femme who was selfish enough to be a decent Decepticon. She became a spy, finding possible weak links among the Autobots' lines; eventually, she started to recruit double-agents. One of her greatest achievements was to learn about the attack that was about to fell upon his lab, giving him time to hide his most important research on the _Black Moon_ , a prison spaceship that was out of the Autobots' reach. Because of her abilities, he knew that she was the perfect guard for his experiments, but they needed a pilot… That's when the flyer, Daybreak, came into the picture…

"So, you recruited him for our cause?" Starscream asked, kind of pleased, folding his hands behind his back.

"You could say that…" She purred, placing a hand on one of Daybreak's wings, who glanced at her in a very intimate way.

"I'm loyal to her, Screamer, not to you." He said, before look at the Seeker, serious. "Are we clear?"

"The cargo." Shockwave pressed.

"The ship was taken down by the Autobots, so I dropped your experiment, in case they raided the wreckage after." She said, walking towards the computers, where Starscream cut her way. The femme, fastened a flirty smile and, placing a hand on the mech's left shoulder, gently pushed him out of the way. "If you excuse me, _commander_." With the Seeker not being an obstacle any longer, she typed some codes into the scanner. "I microchipped the pods before released them, so, with the proper algorithm (and some patience), we'll recover them in brief…"

"Excellent." Shockwave stated with a nod.

Solar Flare smirked and crossed her arms, before walk up to Daybreak, saying that, if needed, they would be installing themselves inside the base. Starscream walked up to his men, watching the newcomers from the corner of his eye. There was something odd about that femme… She looked too familiar. Too much for his likeness.

* * *

Back at the Autobot base, Nightglider was explaining his "strange" behavior to the bots:

"My twin and I were partners with a Wrecker, a femme called Sunscorch." He started.

"Sunscorch?!" Bulkhead yelled, interrupting, recognizing the name.

"It's been _eons_ since I heard _that_ name!" Wheeljack commented. "But… I had understood that she liked to ride solo." He added, arching an eyebrow.

"Yeah, but when Ultra Magnus took over the command, he didn't like her style; so he transferred us from another unit, and paired us up with her." The flyer explained. "Anyway, we were a decent team, until…" He sighed, and shut his eyes. "It was our most dangerous mission. We were meant to create a distraction, so Ironhide could recover some materials that the 'Cons stole during the night." The red mech, at the mention of that episode, remembered it: they were finishing the built of the _Ark_ 's engine when they suffered an assault. In the commotion the Decepticons ran away with some parts that they needed. Before they could stop them, the bastards were already nearing Kaon's walls. "Sunscorch volunteered for the job, because she was once a prisoner there, so she knew the land. For most of the way, she told us to use our legs; but, when the time to attack came, she charged first, while we would cover her back from the air." His hands gripped his knees at this point, remembering it all, as if he was back on that accursed place. "It was then when someone shot me off the sky. I fell. My left wing was broken in half, and my propellant was history. I was grounded… Then two more shots to my legs, right on the knees, and I was left to my attacker's mercy… I readied my gun. If I was going to fall, then I would fall fighting." He sighed and looked away. "Turns out, that it was Daybreak… My own brother did that to me…" Nightglider remembered the exact moment when his twin turned him around, and pinned his arm down by stepping on it. He pressed so hard that his shoulder dislocated, but the cerulean twin didn't care; in fact, he smiled at his pain. He would never forget the hissing of the blaster as it prepared to shoot at his head. "Sunscorch saved my life. She heard the explosion and saw me falling down with Daybreak behind me, so she ran back. She tackled my brother off me." At this point he shook his head, trying to remember. "I… I couldn't even move my head to look at their fighting. I was paralyzed, but I heard it… I heard Sunscorch screaming in agonizing pain, then a shot… then nothing…" He said, before, look back at the team with sad eyes. "I fainted due to Energon loss, and woke up in the field clinic, with Knock Out patching me up. It was then when I knew that Sunscorch was terminated… and my brother was the lone responsible."

The bots shared a look, and Smokescreen brought back what the red medic said moments ago: he was with the Decepticons for a personal manhunt; in other words, he was hunting down Daybreak. Nightglider nodded, admitting that he heard Knock Out talking with Breakdown about his plan to capture the traitor; he knew that it was madness, so he tried to talk him out of it, but it was useless… The red bot disappeared one night, next to his best friend, and nobody saw them ever again. He didn't need to ask… He knew where he went. The flyer said that, during their many visits to the field clinic, Sunscorch, Knock Out, Breakdown, Daybreak and he became really good and close friends; but, with time, the femme grew closer to the medic than to her own partners. She used to talk to him in a way that she didn't talk to them… For so, the betrayal of Daybreak was harder for Knock Out that it was for the rest of the team.

Inside of his quarters, the red medic was sat in silence, remembering all the precious moments he spent with the femme Wrecker, before… before that day. The last thing he had from her was his Energon prod, and it was destroyed by Zombie-Cylas two years ago. Though he couldn't show his pain for the loss of the weapon in front of Starscream, as soon as he was left alone, the Velocitronian tried his best to repair the prod, but it never worked again… In fact, he still had it, but it was nothing more but a fancy spear now. "Why is this happening to me?" He thought, right when the door opened, and Arcee's shadow appeared projected on the room's floor. The red bot didn't bother to ask why she came; he knew that, by now, Nightglider probably told them about Daybreak's betrayal…

The femme walked up to the medic, and took seat next to him. None of them said a word, nor looked at each other. She wasn't sure why she felt the need of go and check on him when it was Bumblebee's job, but there was one thing that the femme knew: they both knew grief.

Finally, he spoke:

"If you came here to make me feel better, you can then leave. I most certainly don't need your mourning speech about you 'understanding' how I feel, because of how you felt about Cliffjumper's dismissal, nor to hear how guilty you felt for being unable to help him. I just need to be…"

"Alone?" She interrupted, gaining his attention. "Yes, I know the feeling. You want to be left alone, because you feel that, no matter how hard your friends tries to cheer you up, you just can't climb up the hole you're in." Arcee admitted, not looking at him, but the wall in front of her. Then, she rose her feet to the berth's brim and hugged her knees. "You just lock everyone out of your life, because you feel like, if you let them in, then, you're exposing yourself to go through all that pain again… Because you think that you're too weak to protect those you care about… And you don't want to see anybody else suffer for your cause ever again…"

"Cliffjumper… wasn't your first partner, was he?" Knock Out asked, softly, understanding that the femme was not talking about Sunscorch, but about herself.

Arcee shook her head.

"After I left the femmes' army, I was assigned a partner. His name was Tailgate, he was a kid, actually; he had the potential to be a great soldier someday… Unfortunately, we ran into Airachnid before that happened." She clenched her fist at the memory of that oversized spider. "She tortured me for days, and, once she realized that I wouldn't talk no matter what she did to me, she captured Tailgate… and killed him in front of my eyes. I couldn't save him. And… I could never forgive myself for it…" She kept silence for a minute, in respect of her old friend. "After that day I started to play solo, because I didn't want to see any other partner suffer because of my weaknesses. But, then came Cliff and… Well. I understood that I was tired of being alone." She finished with a small smile.

Then, she felt a hand placed upon her shoulder. Incredibly, Knock Out was trying to make her feel better.

"Now I understand better what Screamer did to you the day he terminated Cliffjumper. I'm not going to say that I'm sorry, because I know it won't help. However, I admit that I feel honored that you shared this with me. Thank you for trusting." He said, with a soft smile on his lips.

"I don't even know why, but I felt that I should tell you this. Guess that, the real message here is: whenever you need someone to talk about this, you know that you can count with me." She said, with a half-smile.

"Thanks."

Suddenly, Bumblebee came in, looking for them. Something was wrong.

* * *

 **And here it comes the new OC, Solar Flare; and, yet another partial explanation of Knock Out's past and motivation. Remember five more chapters and you'll know the whole story.**

 **Please let me know what you think!**

 **See you soon!**


	27. TWENTY SIX: Family Issues part 2

**Hello, everyone! What's up?**

 **I've been struggling with a chapter, but I finally managed to finish it... So I'm uploading this one today!**

 **On a footnote, I'm starting to write the end of this story, but I'm going slow, so don't be surprised if I start to update less frequently. Sorry, but I don't want to suddenly find out that I have nothing to upload and leave you a month without any news, because I see that there's a lot of people reading it.**

 **By the way, this is going to be a short chapter, but I hope it will be interesting enough... Though I should probably apologize to my main character. *Looks at Knock Out* Sorry, big guy, but your life is about to start to suck... Big time.**

 **Warning: English isn't my mother language, so there's are big probabilities for you to find grammar mistakes. Sorry.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own** ** _Transformers_** **franchise, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **TWENTY SIX: Family Issues part 2**

Bumblebee, Knock Out and Arcee ran into the control room, where the rest of the team was. A message just came in: Ultra Magnus was lying down on a clinic's stretcher, unconscious, with a huge dent on his torso. Apparently, hoping to be useful, the commander went back to Darkmount tower, where he ran into the Seekers.

"Wait! The Seekers? How's that possible?" Arcee questioned.

"As far as Prowl knows, they were looking for something. However, he wasn't present, and it's relying on Drift's word." Ratchet answered, reading the message. Then, as he read the next phrase, the medic arched an eyebrow. "Knock Out, does the name 'Scrapper' means anything to you?" He asked, turning to look at the Velocitronian.

"He was the leader of a squadron known as the Constructicons; though I never met him personally, I'm familiar with his work through the files. Why?"

"Because Ultra Magnus and Drift ran into a Decepticon who goes under that name, at Darkmount." The older medic said.

* * *

Starscream and his Seekers were silently watching from the corner, while Shockwave talked with Scrapper about some old experiment of his. Skywarp, who was with his back against the wall, crossed his arms and muttered a curse; he didn't like the scientist's attitude towards them… The purple bot treated them, who once were top class soldiers, like mere servants; he even told their commander about the burglaries they committed under Shockwave's orders. Starscream gestured his subordinate to shut up; he was thinking his next move, and needed some silence. "Our status quo has changed, I need to figure something out quickly…" The grey Seeker thought, while glancing towards their new comrades. Daybreak and Solar Flare were casually talking (flirting would be more accurate), with the femme sat on the keyboard of one of the many computers that filled the labs. There was something about that femme that was bothering him. But… Could it be? Megatron had profiles from all his high ranked officers, so it was highly improbable that _that_ guy would've been able to hide something like this; specially with her being a Decepticon too. And still…

Ordering his men to wait in the spot, Starscream walked up to the couple.

Thundercracker sighed tiredly.

"What's up with you?" Skywarp asked, arching an eyebrow.

"It's nothing…" The cerulean Seeker lied, shrugging his shoulders to look more authentic; but, the truth was that, during the past few days, he was starting to doubt this fight. They were on an alien planet, and the war was over already; so, in the name of _what_ were they fighting now? Maybe… "Tell me something, 'Warp: don't you feel like we're wasting our time?"

"Huh… In which sense?"

"The war is over; we lost. Period. We're already wanted fugitives, but it seems that nobody minds it, as long as we stay away from Cybertron, so… Why keep fighting?" He asked.

"Thundercracker… Don't tell me you wanna join those filthy Autobots!" The purple flyer yelled in disgust.

"What the…?! No! Of course not!" Thundercracker retorted. "Ugh… I don't have intentions of betraying my own kind, you moron! I'm just saying: the war is lost, that's a fact; the three of us are finally back together, and there's a whole universe out there. What's the point of keep fighting a battle that we already lost?"

"Well, let me think… Oh, I know. Because they killed our whole unit! What about that?!"

Meanwhile, Solar Flare, who was really entertained with Daybreak's courting, noticed that Starscream was walking up to her, reason why she gestured her partner to stop. The Seeker greeted her, pretending that he wanted to mend their first encounter by apologizing for his rude welcome to the base. The femme tried hard not to smirk. Mechs… They were all the same: all she needed to do was wink a little and put up a flirty smile to put them on their knees. Yes. That was how she get so many double agents for the Decepticons' cause. Giggling, the femme rose her left leg, until she was able to place her pede on the keyboard's brim; this action earned some extra attention from the two flyers who were next to her. Smiling, believing that she just found a way to entertain herself, the femme put up her best smile.

"It's ok, commander. You don't need to overwork it; anyone would be a little jumpy when two newcomers shows up out of nowhere…" She said, almost purred.

"Yes, well, about that… I was wondering: your features reminds me of a former colleague of mine. Tell me, are you related to a mech that responds to the designation of Knock Out?" Starscream asked after clearing his throat. Damn, this femme knew how to use her tricks.

Solar Flare's optics widened in surprise, next to Daybreak's. Both of them exchanged a quick glance, before look at the Seeker.

"Where have you heard that name, commander?" She asked, not even trying to be seductive this time.

"Must I believe that you do know him then?" He retorted, smirking.

"You could say that…" In a quick move, her left hand transformed into a blaster with its barrel caressing Starscream's throat. The Seeker was stunned. She moved so fast that he wasn't able to react! "I don't really want to do it… The stains from the last guy's Energon took _forever_ to buff off; so, tell me: where did you hear that name, _sir_?"

* * *

After a long argument, in which many theories of why a Constructicon was left behind in Darkmount were considered, Knock Out came up with an idea: he remembered that the name "Scrapper" appeared several times in the research they downloaded. If that's so, they could use the Constructicons' names to create an algorithm to decode the rest of the document. The idea was quickly accepted and both medics started to create said formula together. Jack, from the sofa where he was sitting, smiled at the picture. It was rare to see an Autobot and a Decepticon working side by side without trying to rip off each other's head. Well, the red bot was on probation, but still…

However, he had the strange feeling that there was something missing there; though he couldn't put his finger on it…

Until he saw the empty chair.

"Um, guys? Where's Raf?" He asked.

Noticing the absence of the boy, all optics fell on Bumblebee, whose door-wings fell down at the realization: he completely forgot about his partner…

… … …

At first, Rafael felt a little surprised when Bumblebee didn't show up to pick him up after school, but, then, he shrugged it off; he guessed that something must have happened back at the base, so he simply walked back home. Whenever things calmed down, Bumblebee would call and ask if he still needed a ride. "I just hope it wasn't nothing too bad…" He thought, while searching for his keys. As usual, his house was noisy, with his parents having visitors of some sort… It wasn't until he saw Jacob, one of his nephews, that he knew that his oldest brother was in the house with his wife. The little boy ran to hug his uncle, who returned the affection, and walked towards the dining room to greet everyone.

… … …

"Scrap! I can't _believe_ that I forgot!" Bumblebee cursed, as he sped down the road, towards Jasper. Little behind him, a red Aston Martin was trying his best to keep up with him.

"Would you calm down, already?! If there would have been an emergency, he would have called you!"

"But…!"

Knock Out surpassed him, and stepped on the brakes some feet ahead from the Camaro, forcing him to come to a halt.

"CALM DOWN!" The Velocitronian yelled at him. "You're making _me_ nervous! And he's not even _my_ partner!"

"I'm sorry, it's just… I haven't seen Raf in two years, not even wrote him; and, now that I'm here I want to compensate, you know?" The warrior said, with a sigh. Knock Out didn't answer, but he did understand, because he had the same feelings for Millie… "And I end up doing _this_ … Dammit."

Rafael was sitting at the front door's frame, chuckling at the avalanche of messages from Bumblebee that he found on his cellphone, going from a simple "Sorry! I'm on my way now!" to "I have the brains of a Scraplet", and so on… At some point, even Knock Out called him (up until that moment, he didn't realize that the red bot had his number…), begging the teenager to return the warrior's calls just to calm him down. Apparently, his nervousness was starting to drive the medic crazy. Eventually he did call, and his guardian promised to meet with him within five minutes; so he simply sat down to wait, while reading a letter that he got that morning. At the memory of his mother giving it to him, the teenager bit his lip and grunted, looking the open envelope. He had to make a decision, but…

The sound of two engines made him realize that the bots were already there. Smiling, the boy got up and entered Bumblebee's cabin, while greeting them both. The warrior apologized once more, while closing the passenger's door and starting to drive away.

« _Oh, by the love of… You've been apologizing the whole fragging time! Would you, please, stop already!? Don't make me shut your mouth with my welder!_ » The red medic's voice thundered through the Camaro's commlink.

"Do it, and your parole is off…" The police enforcer threatened.

"Say, what happened, 'Bee? Why couldn't you pick me up?" Rafael asked, trying to calm both mechs, before they started a quarrel in the middle of the street.

An awkward and tense silence fell upon both Cybertronians at that question. The teenager arched an eyebrow, wondering what could've happened to put them in such mood. Finally, Bumblebee said that it was a long story, and that it would be easier to explain it once they reached the base. The boy didn't like that answer too much, suspecting that something really bad just happened, but decided not to push any further; instead, he accommodated himself on the seat. It was then when his partner saw the envelope he was holding.

"Hey, Raf, what's that?" He asked, curious. The human didn't understand the question. "The paper you're holding, what is it?"

"Oh! This?" He asked, rising the letter and arching an eyebrow, looking at the rearview mirror. The bot hummed a yes. "It's just a letter I got today… It's nothing." The boy said, averting his eyes.

"You're not acting as if it's nothing, Raf… Why don't you tell me about it?"

Right when the teenager was about to open his mouth, the warrior's commlink turned on again. This time, it was Ratchet, urging the former scout to bring Knock Out back to base immediately; apparently something happened, and he needed to see it. "Right on time, Ratch…" The boy thought with relief. He wasn't ready to share his news with 'Bee, not yet.

The whole team was crammed around the mainframe's screen when both mechs exited the ground-bridge. Rafael hurried towards the catwalk, greeting Jack on the way to his work station. The older teenager returned the greeting with a smile, but, almost instantly, his eyes fell on the red medic's figure, and his face turned serious. The former 'Con noticed this, reason why he asked why they wanted to see him so eagerly, but nobody dared to say a word… Frowning, the Velocitronian opened his way towards the control panel. If everyone would act as if they were statues, fine; he would solve the mystery by himself, however, Elita spoke before he could see that there was a message displayed on the screen.

"Are you familiar with a Decepticon designated Solar Flare?" She asked.

Knock Out's change was instantaneous: his optics widened in clear recognition, his face seemed to become paler, and his whole body froze in the spot, while his mouth opened slightly in surprise. The medic also felt his Energon froze in his veins, at the same time his spark missed a beat. His processor tried to put this new information together, fiercely resisting to put the terms "Decepticon" and "Solar Flare" in the same sentence; it didn't took long for him to understand that he was hoping to have misheard the femme. But he knew it wasn't the case… And yet…

Slowly, he turned around to face the pink bot, trembling, still unable to believe what he just heard…

"Where… did you…?" His voice faltered at that moment, and he needed to clear his throat. "Where did you learn that name?"

As answer, the femme looked at the screen behind Ratchet, who stepped aside, revealing a message that was signed by the "Lieutenant Solar Flare". Knock Out had to hold onto the closest thing he could find, which, in this case, was Wheeljack's shoulder. Seeing the medic's reaction, the white Wrecker held him by the arm, truly worried as the red bot's legs failed him, almost falling backwards. The former 'Con was shaking like crazy. Wheeljack looked to his friend Bulkhead, before turn to look at Ratchet, almost pleading the old bot to scan the surgeon for abnormalities. Honestly, the Head Medic almost did, if it wasn't because the Velocitronian suddenly started to stammer something like "Impossible" or "It can't be"; things that proved that he knew this lieutenant.

Finally, he asked when the message arrived.

"A couple minutes ago." Ratchet informed.

"Knock Out." Elita called him to gain his attention once more. The medic turned to look at her, still with his face contracted in horror. "Who is this person?"

"She… She's m-my sister…" He answered, struggling with his own vocal processors, which were refusing to work.

Now, the surprise and fear was spread through the whole base.

The message read: "Knock Out: If you want to see her again, meet me at the attached coordinates. Dearly, Lieutenant Solar Flare."

* * *

 **So, what do you think? Good? Bad? Interesting? Boring? Too much drama?**

 ***Knock Out opens his mouth to say something* I'm not asking you... You're my main character, and, for so, in my power as long as I say so. *Knock Out closes his mouth, and leaves, growling***

 **So, you know, I might be gone for a while; but I fully intend to update before New Year.**

 **Until then! Bye, bye!**


	28. TWENTY SEVEN: Family Therapy?

**Hello, beautiful people! How're you doing? I hope you're al-... *Suddenly sees the reviews* Wait a... KNOCK OUT! DID YOU WENT ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE** ** _NEMESIS_** **JUST TO WHINE ABOUT THE STORY?! AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT YOU SHOWED THIS TO MEGATRON?! Grr... Fine! You know what?! You want sparklings, I'll give you sparklings. Maybe not in this chapter, maybe not in this fanfic, but someday, in a nearby future, you'll appear in one of my stories with a little happy child calling you 'daddy'... Sleep with fear...**

 **Oh, and Starscream... If you thought you were unlucky until now, you don't know what's ahead for you.**

 **So, Megatron, grab some popcorn and a soda; because this show is barely starting.**

 ***Takes a deep breath***

 **Sorry about that, but it seems that my main character had issues with the story I created for him...**

 **Well, I'm happy to announce that the writing of the chapter in which I'm working now is going smoothly, so I decided to update today! Now, there's a plot twist coming (a few plot twists actually...). So, let's keep going!**

 **Warning: English isn't my mother language, so I'll apologize beforehand for all the grammar mistakes that you might find in this story.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own** ** _Transformers_** **franchise, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **TWENTY SEVEN: Family Therapy?**

There was a big fuss in the control room. All the bots seemed to be arguing about some matter, but not in a civilized way: as far as Fowler was capable of hear from his office, the bots were yelling, trying to cover each other's voice. The governmental agent tried not to mind it at first (since Optimus wasn't around anymore, some indiscipline was to be expected…); however, when he realized that he could not even hear his own thoughts, he decided that it was time to remind them their manners. He didn't expected to find the team crammed in the center of the room, subtracted in their dispute, completely oblivious to the humans on the catwalks. The middle-age man walked towards the two teenagers and asked what was going on; the boys told him about the threatening, about Knock Out's sister being a Decepticon, and, finally, about the red medic's suspicion of Millie have been kidnapped by his sister to force him out of the base.

"That's easy to find out: Jack, call…"

"I already tried, but she's still on her shift, so I can't reach her." The teenager interrupted him, showing Fowler his cellphone and trying to call his mom one more time. No answer. He hung up. "I was about to ask Arcee for a ride to the hospital, but…" He gestured towards the arguing group.

"I see…" The Federal Agent commented, arching an eyebrow and gazing at the crowd. Then, with a sigh, he added: "Alright, you and I are going to pay a visit to the hospital ASAP. Raf, try to make them stop acting like kindergarteners!"

That said, Fowler and Jack raced towards the human-sized elevator. The teenager tried one more time to call his mother, but, again, his call went straight to voicemail. Grunting, he left a message, pleading his mom to call him as soon as she can, saying that it was an emergency. Then, he hung up and sighed in frustration, receiving a pat on the shoulder from Fowler, who assured him that everything would be fine. Jack nodded and walked towards the classic black Mustang next to the governmental agent.

Meanwhile, the younger teenager was looking at the bots who were about to start a physical fight among each other. Rafael gulped. How was he supposed to call their attention? Not even 'Bee was listening to him! But, as he saw the argument escalate a little bit higher, the boy started to yell and wave his arms in a sad attempt to signature the Autobots to stop their quarrel. No use. "Ugh! C'mon, Raf! Think, think… Their voices are too loud for yours to be audible. Unless…" An idea popped up on his mind, as he looked up to Fowler's office: the door was left open! Smiling, the teenager dashed towards the small room and snatched the speakers' microphone. "This should do the trick!" He thought, while running back to his normal working station, where he reconnected the mic.

The bots were still unaware of what was going on around them. Rafael looked at them and sighed. He didn't wanted to do it… He knew that they were sensitive to loud noises, but… Taking a deep breath, the boy turned on the speakers.

"ENOUGH!" He yelled with all his strength.

All the bots screamed in unison, while covering their audio-receptors with their hands, shutting their eyes, and gritting their teeth in pain.

"Rafael! Was that truly necessary?!" Ratchet complained, while opening an optic and turning around to look at the boy, still with his hands on the sides of his head.

"HEY! AM I TALKING LOUDER THAN NORMAL?!" Smokescreen asked yelling, while massaging the sides of his helm.

"I'm sorry, but you weren't listening!" The boy defended himself, while putting away the microphone.

"So you deafened us?!" Knock Out complained, also massaging his audio-receptors.

"Wait a minute! Raf, where's Jack?!" Arcee asked, noticing the absence of her partner.

"He left. Jack and Fowler are going to the hospital to check if Millie was kidnapped or not." He answered, then, he looked at the red medic. "If it is a trap, then…"

"What?! By the time they arrive there, it might already be too late!" The Velocitroinan complained.

"Why didn't he asked for a ground-bridge instead?" Bulkhead wondered.

"MAYBE BECAUSE NONE OF YOU WERE LISTENING!" Rafael yelled, losing his temper in front of all the bots, who just stared at him in surprise. They've never seen the boy so mad before; they must've really pushed a nerve with their arguing. "Look…" He said, huffing, fixing his glasses and taking deep breaths. "Knock Out, I know you're worried for Millie, but rushing things like this, you're not going to help her at all. You need her, and she needs you; so, the last thing you want is to step into a Decepticon trap like this."

The red medic looked at the human in awe. It was the first time that one of the kids (well… One of the _boys_ , after all, Miko has already pestered him with questions…) talked up to him so freely and openly; somehow, he appreciated the concern, but… It wasn't his welfare the one that was worrying him at the moment.

"Thank you for your concern, Rafael." Knock Out told the boy with a small and tender smile, while lightly nodding. "But I'm afraid that none of you has authority over me, except for Bumblebee, who happens to be my supervisor. However…" He turned to look at the yellow bot. "Giving the situation, I won't listen to you in this case; because I'm sure that if it were Rafael instead of Millie, you wouldn't have let any of them, nor even Prime himself, stop you from running in his rescue."

The young warrior was baffled by the medic's speech, not only because he was talking about a human being, but because of the conviction with which he said it. Knock Out wasn't faking it this time, his worry was real; his fear, his need of protecting this girl was very real and very tangible. Probably, the red bot wasn't aware of it, but he just talked in the exact same way… of a real Autobot. Yes, Bumblebee knew that it was true: if things were reversed, and it were Raf instead of Millie, he would already be on the field, trying to save the boy. Nothing that anyone could say would stop him from trying; and, if Knock Out's feelings towards the little girl were anything like his for Rafael, then it was useless to try to talk him out of it. He would find a way to meet with his sister, one way or another.

Seeing where things were going, Elita, who patiently waited for the arguing to cease, stepped up and decided to take command of the situation. By what she heard, the chances of the Decepticons having a hostage were high: they have _seen_ the medic paying a visit to the hospital after they attacked a local museum, so there were reasons to believe that they suspected of him being attached to a human; even more, Knock Out confessed that he snapped at Starscream after he threatened with knock down the clinic if the surgeon refused to treat his injuries. Being that the case, the Autobots didn't have many choices.

"You will go to that meeting." The pink femme declared, looking at the former Decepticon, who silently thanked her. "However, you are forbidden of attending alone: Bumblebee, you're in charge of him, you're going too." The youngling nodded, decision in his optics. "Smokescreen, Wheeljack, you're going as well." Then she turned to the Head Medic. "Ratchet, I need a visual of the location where they're going."

"Um… What about us?" Chromia asked, arching an eyebrow and placing her hands on the sides of her hip.

"Yeah! It's been half million years since the last time we kicked some Decepti-creep tailpipe!" Ironhide commented, knocking his fists.

"We will remain here. As far as we know, the 'Cons ignore that we're active again; if that's so, we now possess the element of surprise in our favor. Though I dislike it as much as you two do, we must use this carefully; and, since we still don't know what Shockwave's experiment is…"

"It's better if we remain hidden…" The cerulean and white femme completed for her friend. "Alright, alright. We'll stay put… Yay…" She added, sighing and crossing her arms.

Elita placed a hand on her friend's shoulder and smiled motherly to her. Yes, Chromia was a bot of action; she hated to wait longer than necessary, and so was Ironhide. That's why they made such a good team whenever they fought side by side. The large red mech, who was standing behind the cerulean femme, simply shrugged and went with Ratchet to analyze the place indicated by the coordinates of the message: it was a desert filled with stone formations that provided a decent cover. It would be easy to hide a couple bots from unwanted eyes; yet, it had to be small to medium sized bots, so Bulkhead was out of this mission. The green bot huffed in disappointment. He really wanted to be sent to the field (Wrecker's instincts).

... ... ...

The green vortex opened in the middle of a canyon located between two massive walls of rock. There was not even the shadow of a cloud in the sky, and the temperature must have been of a million grades in the Celsius scale. A red Aston Martin slowly made its way through the portal and drove into the landscape, feeling how its metal overheated by the scorching sun; its tires threatened with melt in any second against the burning sandstone. The memory of another planet, many lightyears away from this one hit him on the spark… Of course she chose such place to meet… The landscape was identical. Sighing, Knock Out transformed into his bipedal form, and, slowly, started to make his way through the canyon. The only noise he could hear was his own footsteps. Wondering if she was actually there, the medic made a quick scan of his surroundings, looking for anything slightly familiar…

"Well, well, well… You've grown, baby brother!"

Taken aback, the red bot looked to a stones formation that was straight ahead: on top of it, he found a small and slender femme of shiny champagne colored armor. Her crests were similar to his, only that hers were all curved backwards, and her tights and upper arms were orange. Also, her hip's armor formed some sort of skirt that augmented her feminine silhouette. Like he, she had a milky white face, but her lips were painted in a creamy pink shade, and her factions were more soft and round. Her eyes glowed in a bloody red under her orange eyebrows. The femme jumped off her seat and started to walk towards the red bot, who was unable to snap out of his astonishment.

"Solar Flare… I can't believe it… It _is_ you!" He whispered, still trying to convince himself that, after so many eons of her being lost, he found his sister… only to realize that she was a hardcore Deceptcion, as the sigil on her shoulders proved. "When I read your name… Well, I didn't believe it. I thought…"

"You thought that I was gone for good, didn't you?" She completed, stopping and crossing her arms, with a mocking smirk on her lips. "Oh, Knocky… You never see the big picture."

From above, and behind a couple of rocks, Bumblebee and the others were observing the whole scene. Smokescreen's spark almost froze when Solar Flare appeared: Knock Out and that femme were almost identical! No doubt they were siblings! Wheeljack's thoughts weren't too far from the Elite Guard's; only that he also had a question: why didn't the medic mentioned his sister not even once? "Maybe he wanted to protect his family… as he tried to protect Millie…" The yellow bot thought, while watching the red bot's back, in case Solar Flare decided to play a low trick or something.

Back on the ground level, the two Velocitronians kept talking:

"Big picture? Are you slagging kidding me? You _ran away_! Do you have the last idea of how much you hurt us?! Our carrier cried for days, and our sire started to overprotect me, in fear of losing me too!" The medic yelled at the femme in rage. For so long… He wanted to tell her this things for so long, and now, finally, he had the chance. His sister was the first piece of the domino that started to fall down on his life. Everything was perfect until that day…

He could still remember: he was returning from a quick medical check in company of his sire, only to find law enforcers in the house, talking to his carrier… She was crying, sitting on the couch, and talking to an officer. He didn't understand right away and simply cocked his head, while his sire went to his bond, asking what happened… Then, he heard it: Solar Flare was gone. He was still too young, a sparkling; and the idea of running from home was too scary to even conceive it, so the first thing he did was run upstairs to where their rooms were, and check on his sister's… It was empty. The only things she left behind were the family pictures… Especially one in which they were playing together… That one was broken and lying on the floor.

For a couple days, they waited. On one occasion he asked his sire about his sister, wondering when she would come back. The adult mech kneeled down to him and, smiling, and said in a calming tune: "I'm sure she'll be back soon. Your sister wouldn't just leave us; you'll see, she will come back."

She never did.

Eventually, he stopped caring. He stopped looking. He could've even bumped into her in the streets when coming back from school, and he wouldn't have cared. He started to see himself as only child. He had to be strong… for his creators, he had to be strong. But Velocitron… He couldn't be a racer, he didn't have a future there. When he came to age, there was a decision for him to take: remain on the colony where he would forever be an outcast, or go to Cybertron Medicine Academy and be something of himself…

In the end, his creators pushed him to look after his own happiness. They didn't want to become an obstacle in his life, and, though it wouldn't be easy for them, as long as he was happy, they would be happy too.

To leave his creators behind was the hardest thing he ever did in his life.

"There's only one thing that I was never able to answer: why? Why did you do it?" He asked, glaring at the femme, who, until then, didn't show to care about their family.

But, as soon as he asked this, her eyes darkened, and her body tensed.

"And you ask me?" She snarled, frowning, clenching her fists. "It was all your fault!"

"My **_what_**?! Excuse me, but I don't remember to have kicked you out of the house!" He retorted, gesturing like crazy.

"Maybe not… But my life ended the day I tried to protect you when those guys picked on you… Remember? That night, at the backdoor of the stadium?" The femme hissed, hate flowing out of her words.

The mech's face froze in pure horror at the memory: Solar Flare, still a youngling, was racing that night. It was a juvenile race, and she was one of the favorites. He remembered how he cheered for her from the audience, and how she turned to smile and wink at him before transform and rev her engine, waiting for the green light. Their creators were there too. It was a happy night…

And then it wasn't anymore…

Solar Flare won, and the crowd went wild yelling in excitement; but the winner's eyes were fixed in three particular bots ―her family―, to whom she dedicated a bright wide smile before walk towards the wash racks behind the track. Knock Out asked if he could go with his sister, and, of course, his creators let him; as long as he remained with the femme. He promised to, and left.

The two siblings were laughing and joking together, talking about the race… when four guys appeared out of nowhere, calling for _him_. Yes… All Delta City knew about him: Hermes's glitching son. And how not to know about it? After all, his sire happened to be a three-time champion of the _Speedia 500_ , while he couldn't even compete in the sparklings' tracks due to his medical condition.

The four guys were taller than Solar Flare, and there was something about them that made him tremble in fear. His sister noticed, and pushed him behind her, while telling the gang to leave them alone.

Next thing he remembers about it, the four mechs started to attack them; Solar pushed him away from the fight, ordering him to run. He tried to help her, and got hit on the head. Then, the memory becomes blurry… But he could clearly recall that he looked for his creators, stumbling, confused by the blow he took… By the time he found them, and his sire ran to Solar's rescue, the four guys were gone. The young femme was taken to the nearest clinic…

The day after she was capable of go back home, Solar Flare ran away… and never returned…

* * *

Meanwhile, Jack was on Fowler's car, still trying to call his mom without luck. June was still on her shift. "Please, be okay…" The boy thought as they grew closer to the hospital.

* * *

The champagne colored femme drew out a sword from her right forearm. Knock Out watched this and sighed, before plead his sister not to do it; that there was no need of end up in a fight. She simply smirked darkly, before get in position.

"Please, don't." The medic begged once more, before being tackled by the femme.

On instinct, the red bot rejected the attack, throwing his sister against a close rock wall. Realizing that he didn't have another choice, the mech transformed his right hand into his buzz saw; meanwhile, Bumblebee gave the signal to engage, and the three warriors jumped off their hiding… only to get ambushed by a cerulean flying mech.

Knock Out heard the shooting, reason why he noticed that, as he, his sister came to the meeting with someone backing her up. However, he couldn't believe his eyes: it was _him_. It was the traitor he spent the last two million years hunting.

"Daybreak!" He snarled, glaring at the cerulean mech, who turned to smirk at him in a mocking way.

"Long time no see, K-Out. How're doing?" He said, while handling Smokescreen's and Bumblebee's attempts of attacking him.

It wasn't until Wheeljack almost chopped one of his wings away that the traitor concentrated on his adversaries. Only then, he recognized the white armored mech as a Wrecker. "This should be interesting…" He thought, while grabbing the warrior by the right arm, forcing him into a wresting lock that left the Autobot completely at his mercy. Smokescreen tried to help him, but was forced to take cover.

Knock Out tried to run to the rescue, but was intercepted by his sister. Both siblings clashed their weapons, blocking each other's attack.

"So, you're familiar with my associate, huh?" The femme, now masked, said.

The red mech's eyes widened in horror at the realization of what that commentary implied: _she_ , his own sister, was Daybreak's contact among the 'Cons… Solar Flare was co-responsible for Sunscorch's termination. Growling, he pushed her away.

"You…? All this time, _you_ were his contact?" The medic asked out loud. Honestly, he didn't want to believe it…

"What's with the surprised face, Knocky?" She mocked him, before pounce onto him, sending them both to the ground, and pinning her brother under her weight. Knock Out found himself wrestling with his sister, in order to keep her swords away from his neck. "You shouldn't have turned your back on us…"

"'Us'? Us, who? Our colony? Our family? Our bond as siblings? You're the one who turned its back on all of them!" He retorted.

"I meant the Decepticons, you idiot! If you wouldn't, I would've spared your life!" The femme stated, while pushing her weapons closer to the mech's throat. "I almost felt bad for what I did to you when Star-Cream told me that you used to be a 'Con." She commented, arching an eyebrow. "But, then he reached the part of the story in which you double-cross us…"

"I _hated_ to be a Decepticon!" He yelled, throwing her away from him. Then, he quickly got on his feet and glared at the femme. "I never was, and I will never be, one of them!"

"Wrong answer, brother…" Solar Flare snarled, sitting up. "If you want her to remain alive, I recommend you to reconsider your loyalty…"

Knock Out gritted his teeth and frowned at the statement.

Daybreak was having a little trouble with these mechs. No doubt things were easier when he was a team with his twin… Oh, well. It wasn't like he couldn't win this fight. Smirking, the cerulean mech transformed and took off. Time to attack from above.

Fortunately for the 'Bots, Bumblebee immediately noticed his plans.

"Take cover!" He yelled, right before the three of them were covered by a rain of bullets. "Ok… I'm personally ripping his wings off!" The young warrior complained, before transforming. He was looking for higher ground.

"What about us?!" Smokescreen wondered, while covering under a ledge.

"We open cover fire!" Wheeljack answered.

* * *

Back at the Autobots' base, Nightglider was watching the scanner's signals, and hearing the battle noises next to the rest of the team. However, as soon as he recognized his twin's voice among the voices of the warriors, the black armored bot started to demand to be send to the field, stating that he wanted to help the others. Ratchet would've sent him without asking, but, unfortunately for the flyer bot, Elita was now in control of the team's leadership, and she ordered him to stay put.

Nightglider gritted his teeth and stiffed his wings in an offensive position.

"I'm the only flyer you have!" He hissed, frowning, trying to make her see that he was the only one who could stand against his twin.

"Yes. I'm aware." The pink femme answered, trying to keep her voice tune even. Honestly, her patience was becoming thinner towards the newcomer.

"Then, please, sent me there! I can help to seize my brother!" He exclaimed, desperate to go to battle.

"Soldier!" Elita finally snapped, startling the young mech. "In your current condition you'll represent a risk to your friends." She told him, turning to look into the flyer's eyes. "Until you proof that you're capable of keep your own rage under control, I believe that it's better to keep you away from your twin…"

Nightglider lowered his eyes in defeat.

A short tune that came from the mainframe informed the bots that a message just came in. Ratchet checked it out, discovering that it was from Agent Fowler, who finally reached the hospital. The medic opened it…

"By the AllSpark…" He thought, while hurrying to call Bumblebee.

* * *

Meanwhile, the yellow bot was now at the top of a rock wall, from which he jumped, trying to catch Daybreak in the exact same way he did with Skyquake, a couple years ago… Unfortunately, this mech wasn't as naïve as Dreadwing's twin…

As soon as he leaped off his hiding, the flyer transformed in midair, catching the young bot who, startled, couldn't react. He didn't expected this kind of risky counterattack. Daybreak's moves were bolder than the ones he has seen from Starscream and his Seekers.

Once he was on the flyer's grasp, Bumblebee felt how the cerulean mech maneuvered quickly, making sure that, when they hit the ground, he would end trapped under Daybreak's body.

The red medic, alerted by the loud noise of the fall and the dust cloud that the two bodies rose when they reached the ground, watched in horror how his new found friend and guardian was kliks away from an execution. He had to do something quickly, or none of them would live to tell the tale! Biting his lip, he looked back at his sister, who was now getting on her feet, ready to resume the battle.

Closing his eyes, Knock Out put his weapons away.

"Wait!" He yelled, gesturing Daybreak to stop. Right on time, the cerulean mech was about to shoot at Bumblebee's head. "Flare, your problem is with me. Take me prisoner if you want, but let the Autobots and the girl go. Nobody else has to suffer because of me." He offered, placing a hand on top of his chest-plates.

"Knock Out, no!" The yellow bot yelled, from below his opponent.

"Ya' can't be serious!" Wheeljack complained.

"Don't do it! It'll be your funeral!" Smokescreen completed.

The medic didn't need to be told all this… He already knew it, but he didn't see another viable option: if they kept fighting, both, the bots and Millie, would end up killed. Daybreak used to be an Autobot, he knew how they fight, and he knew how to counterattack all their approaches. Even worse! He used to be partners with Sunscorch! A Wrecker! Wheeljack was in mortal danger if he remained there! A negotiation was the only logical option… One life for many…

With decision shining in his eyes, Knock Out repeated:

"Please. I give up; just let the 'Bots and Millie go…" He pleaded, once more.

Solar Flare arched an eyebrow.

"Who's Millie?" She asked.

"Don't play this game with me, Flare." The red mech retorted, angered by her pretended confusion. "The little girl you took hostage. Give her back, now!" He demanded, reaching out a hand towards the champagne colored femme, urging her to surrender the girl.

"I don't know anything about a little girl."

Realization hit the Autobots like a punch to the tanks: this whole thing was a dirty trap after all, and they fell like idiots! Well, if there was no human in danger, then there was no reason to hold back. With renewed strengths, Wheeljack tackled Daybreak, shoving him off Bumblebee who, once freed, jumped on his feet and started to run towards Knock Out, while Smokescreen went to help the Wrecker.

However, the Velocitronian mech was now lost on his own thoughts. Solar Flare didn't pretend when she threatened some hostage's life; she meant it, she wanted to make sure he knew she meant it. But, if it wasn't Millie, who was she talking about? He didn't have anyone else…

Unless…

The puzzle's pieces started to come together as his widened optics glanced towards Daybreak, before go back to the Velocitronian femme. No… No, it couldn't be.

"How… did you come… to Earth?" He asked, afraid of the answer.

The champagne colored femme smirked.

"Who you think was the _Black Moon_ 's captain, brother?" She said, crossing her arms.

Knock Out stumbled a couple steps backwards, before his back hit the rock wall behind him. It couldn't be… She… She was…

A green vortex opened in the place, and Arcee and Bulkhead jumped off the ground-bridge with their guns ready for the fight; however, as soon as the Autobots' backup arrived, the two Decepticons called back to base, asking for an emergency bridge. The new wormhole opened behind the femme, who called out for her partner, before ran into the vortex, followed closely by the cerulean mech, who transformed into his jet-mode to escape faster.

The blue femme and the green Wrecker checked on their teammates.

"What ya' doing here, Bulk?" Wheeljack asked, retrieving his mask.

"Fowler called. This was a…" Arcee started to explain.

"Trap?" Smokescreen interrupted, earning the newcomers' attention. "We know. Those 'Cons admitted that they didn't know about Millie's existence…" He said with a shrug.

"Oh." Bulkhead sighed in surprise, before turn to look at his best friend. "Then, why didn't you pick up your commlinks? We called you like five times!"

"You did? Funny, we didn't receive any signal." The white bot said, checking his communicator's frequency. Everything seemed normal.

Oblivious to all this debate, Knock Out was hyperventilating, petrified, staring at the spot where Solar Flare was standing moments ago as if he was looking a ghost. His processor was trying to understand these recent events… But, at the same time, he didn't want to understand it; because it would mean that everything would start all over again. Because… Because, if his sister was telling the truth, then he threw his life away… for nothing…

Suddenly, the feeling of something lying down onto his shoulder made him jerk on his place.

Only after the eyes of the whole team were on him, Knock Out understood that he just slapped away Bumblebee's servo, who was merely trying to get his attention by gently placing a hand on his shoulder. The yellow bot stared at him in surprise, wondering what just happened. Honestly, not even the medic was sure of what was going on anymore… He thought he knew, but…

"A-are you okay?" The police officer asked, a little startled by the red mech's reaction moments ago.

"Yes. I'm fine." The Velocitronian lied, and tried to walk past the yellow bot.

"You sure?" Bumblebee pressed, worried.

"I said I'm fine, alright!" The medic snapped at the poor guy, who flinched at the sudden threatening attitude from him.

"Hey, hey… Calm down, Knock. He was just trying to…"

"Help?!" Knock Out interrupted whatever that Wheeljack was about to say. The Wrecker also flinched at this. "Let's make this clear: I don't need anyone's help, not from you at least! What I need is to go back to base, _right now_!"

The bots exchanged a quizzical look, before look back at the red medic and arch an eyebrow. What crawled up his tailpipe? This wasn't the Knock Out they've been living with; in fact, this red mech resembled more to the Decepticon they used to fight more than the guy they discovered in the past weeks.

"Knock Out, what's going on?" Arcee asked, crossing her arms. Instead of answer her, the medic huffed and averted his eyes. It angered the femme. "Look, all this long we've been doing nothing else but try to help you with your parole-thing; the least you owe us is an explanation. What's going on? Why's your sister here?" She pressed, walking up to the red mech.

Seeing where this was headed, Bumblebee interfered, saying that they should first return to safety. He wasn't sure of what just happened either, but he knew one thing: if they wanted to know, then they had to take Knock Out back to base. Then he would talk… Probably.

* * *

 **And Knock Out's luck starts to make a U-turn that includes psychotic sisters, and backstabbers friends from the past, not to mention some other troubles that will appear in the nearby future... But that's for another chapter! XD**

 **I'll be back next week. Please, don't forget to tell me what you think!**

 **Bye!**


	29. TWENTY EIGHT: Hopes Down, Hopes Up

**Hi. How're you doing? Hope you're having fun, and preparing your list of goals for New Year (my #1 is to finish to write this story...).**

 **Seriously, I'm writing five or six chapters ahead, and, I don't know how, it's taking me** ** _forever_** **to finish each chapter... It's just... I left so many side-stories and mentions that now I have to, somehow, bring back that, before I notice, I wrote a chapter of fifteen pages. The worst part is that I know how I want to finish this fanfic... I'm almost tasting it... But I never get there! Grr...**

 **Let's keep going.**

 **Warning: English isn't my mother language, so there might be some grammar mistakes in this story.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own** ** _Transformers_** **franchise, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **TWENTY EIGHT: Hopes Down, Hopes Up**

Ratchet opened the ground-bridge for their friends with some serious curiosity about what happened. Their communications were down for a couple minutes without their notice, reason why Elita told Arcee and Bulkhead to warn the others that they were running into a trap. But they haven't receive anything since then. Finally, the scanner picked up Bumblebee's commlink's frequency: the young bot was asking for a ground-bridge, around five minutes ago.

"Please be okay, please be okay, please be okay…" Rafael was silently pleading, as the time passed, but nobody seemed to get across the green vortex. Finally, the bots started to exit the wormhole. They seemed to be fine, so the boy sighed in relief. The last ones in enter the base were Bumblebee and Knock Out who seemed to be in a very bad mood. As soon as the red mech set foot inside of the bunker, he stomped towards Nightglider, ignoring the questions from Elita and the others.

"You told me that she was dead!" The red medic yelled at the flyer, who flinched and raised his hands in a defensive position.

"Wa-wait! W-who are you talking…?" The black mech stammered, scared at the medic's face.

"Sunscorch! Who else, you idiot?!" Knock Out snapped. "You told me that your fragged brother terminated her!" He added, following the flyer as he took several steps back, trying to get away from the Velocitronian.

"As far as I know she's offline! Nobody was ever capable of find her signal since Daybreak's treason at Kaon's walls, two million years ago! You know this as well as I do, K-Out!" Nightglider defended himself.

The Velocitronian grabbed the flyer by the chest-plates, forcing the poor warrior to lower his eyes to his level. Such violent action not only startled the black mech, but, also, made everyone in the base become a little jumpy about what would happen next. Even Bumblebee got ready to use brute force, believing that the former 'Con was about to attack his supposed old friend; and, judging by the face of Nightglider, he was starting to consider that option too.

"How did you find this planet?" Knock Out asked to the flyer with his teeth gritted.

"I felt Daybreak's spark, and I followed the bond! Then I bribed the keeper of the space-bridges to gain access to one…" He admitted a little embarrassed.

Behind the two arguing mechs, the yellow bot facepalmed at the confession. "Note to self: I have to mulct this moron later." He thought. Seriously, who admits to have committed a crime in front of a police officer?

Knock Out snarled, and tightened his grip on the flyer.

"I don't care if you bribed the whole Council to come here! I want to know why you didn't chase after your damn twin sooner!" The Velocitronian practically roared at his friend, who shut his eyes in fear.

"Because I never felt his bond before! I thought he was terminated until a couple solar-cycles ago, when the connection reactivated somehow!" Nightglider answered, terrified. He never knew that Knock Out could be like this… The medic he remembered was kind and couldn't be able to scare a sparkling, not even if his life depended on that. What happened to him during the war?

Suddenly, Ratchet decided that it was time to interfere, and quickly grabbed the Velocitronian mech by the shoulders, while pulling him off the flyer, who vented in relief when he found himself freed from his friend's grasp. However, the older medic noticed that Knock Out was in shock state at the answer, and his body was motioning by reflex. What could've triggered this behavior? Ever since they've been sheltering the former Decepticon medic, he tried his best to fit in, to act like an Autobot… In fact, Ratchet was sure that he _was_ becoming one; and his worries for that human girl, Millie, only strengthened his belief of Knock Out actually mending his ways. But, this? Concerned, seeing that the red mech's pulse was erratic, and his mind was about to suffer a stress collapse, the old Autobot medic asked the team what happened in the battlefield.

Everyone exchanged a quizzical look.

"Well… We're not really sure." Smokescreen finally commented, scratching the back of his helm.

But it was the truth, after all, they didn't hear the last part of Knock Out's and Solar Flare's argument; all thanks to Daybreak's distraction. "Of course… He wasn't there just to protect that femme, but to make sure we didn't listen whatever she told him." Bumblebee finally realized, sighing at his stupidity. So many vorns of training, and he got tricked just that easy.

"…Daybreak's contact among the 'Cons…" Knock Out muttered suddenly.

"What did he say?" Chromia asked, arching an eyebrow.

"My sister… She… was working with your twin… They orchestrated the attack in Kaon's surroundings… They… They never killed her…" He kept stuttering, forgetting where he was, why he was there, who was with him…

Everything around him became blurry at the realization of what truly happened that day: Nightglider fell unconscious due to Energon loss, at the same time that Daybreak and Solar Flare did something to subdue Sunscorch, who was taken prisoner. Later, when the _Black Moon_ was forced to abandon the planet and got taken down by an Autobot team, both Decepticons went into emergency stasis. However, the engine failed, turning off the system, reason why they didn't wake up earlier; but, as soon as they reactivated the power, Solar Flare and Daybreak became conscious once more.

Then, he realized one more thing: if she was truly a prisoner, and if she was yet on stasis, they had to rescue her ASAP! Everyone knew the effects of remain on stasis-mode for too long, and one of them was power failure! True, the other capsules may have failed when the ship crashed, but there was the chance that it wasn't the pod what failed, but the bot inside of it! And considering the time that Sunscorch (in case that their prisoner was truly she) spent inside of her stasis pod, a massive malfunction wasn't too far ahead!

* * *

Solar Flare was back at Shockwave's lab, standing in front of a stasis pod. She was glaring at the prisoner's slumbering face, while cocking her head from one side to the other, as if she was trying to decide what to do with it. "Honestly, what did he see in you?" The femme thought, while uncrossing her arms, and placing her hands on her hips.

A tall femme of deep crimson armor, with a golden fore-helm, and whose face and body was covered in scars, was visible through the pod's glass. Her vitals were weak, but stable. How the Autobots didn't see her, Solar Flare would never know. But she was glad they didn't, because now she had something to force her brother into surrender. Smirking, she patted the glass.

"If he really wants to find you, then he _will_ come for you." The champagne colored femme cooed, before blow a kiss to the sleeping face. "Thank you, darling."

"Solar!" Daybreak appeared on the room where she was standing.

The femme turned to look at the cerulean mech. She questioned him with her eyes, noticing that he was now staring at the Wrecker's face. Yes. Ever since she convinced him to betray his brother and his partner, the flyer has felt uncomfortable around this particular stasis pod.

"The scanners picked up the microchips' signals." He finally said, while walking closer to the femme, and trying to look away from his former partner's face.

Solar Flare arched an eyebrow and giggled at his expression of awkwardness.

"It's been a lifetime, yet you manage to keep feeling uneasy whenever she's present. Unbelievable…" She mocked him, while walking out of the room.

"And you?" Daybreak suddenly asked, making her stop on her tracks to turn to look at him. "Traitor or not, he's still your brother, and a former Decepticon. Doesn't it… affects you?"

"Did it affect you to betray _your_ brother for me?" She retorted, placing her hands on her hip, while smirking, before finally walk away.

The cerulean mech couldn't answer. Deep inside, he had to admit that it never felt good to let down his twin as he did. He even had nightmares about that day, for Primus's sake! Nightglider and he were not only brothers, but also best friends; that was the key of their successfulness. They always knew where the other was, and what he was doing; so they trusted blindly on the other, not even using their commlinks during the battles. Though he would never admit it in front of Solar, he had to be honest with himself: he missed his bro's company… However, he liked this femme too much. "Sorry, 'Glider; but my spark knows what it wants." He thought, while walking after his femme.

* * *

It was a big surprise for Millie to wake up surrounded by three strangers, though one of them was a nurse. The other two were guys, a middle-age black man and a teenager who was on the phone. The nurse, who introduced herself as June, checked the monitors that were next to her bed, and explained where she was and why she was there. When the woman mentioned the museum, Millie remembered that she was in a school trip, when a big explosion was heard… Then there was a fire, and she got lost in the smoke… But, since she hit her head and fell unconsicous, the little girl couldn't recall much more, only that she felt like she was suffocating, and that her throat was aching badly…

"Hello… Millie, right?" The adult man called her, stepping closer to the bed's brim. "My name is William Fowler. I'm a governmental agent, see?" He showed her his badge. "Can I ask you a few questions?"

The little girl shyly nodded, but didn't say a word. Fowler understood her nervousness, and smiled tenderly.

"I know that you have a friend that's… not from here. Am I right?" He said, trying hard not to startle the girl.

Millie simply shook her head. The agent knew what she was doing: though they haven't seen in so long, she was protecting Knock Out, hiding his existence from the world. He had to admit it; it was impressive for someone so young. The only problem was that, in order to put her under Autobot protection, she had to openly admit that she stablished contact with a Cybertronian in front of him.

Finally, Jack decided to step in.

"Hey, Millie. I'm Jackson Darby, but you can call me Jack." The boy introduced himself, while taking seat at the bed's feet. "I know that Agent Fowler may be… intimidating, but he's trustworthy. Seriously." He said with a bright smile. However, it was evident that the girl was not buying it. Time to change the strategy. "Look, here's the thing: I'm like you. A couple years ago I met a blue motorcycle that turned out to be a giant alien being called Arcee." Her eyes brightened at this confession, thing that made the teenager smile. "She's my best friend, and it's back on Earth, next to the rest of the team… and Knock Out." He explained, and saw her breathing rate increase. "We know he's friends with you. He told us. But, he's a national top secret, meaning that you've to be under Autobot protection. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"But… He's not an Autobot." Millie commented, finally saying something.

June, Fowler and Jack exchanged a quizzical look, before look back at the girl.

"You know about the 'Cons?" The man asked, arching an eyebrow.

Millie nodded.

"He told me about them." She explained.

"Really? What else he said?" Jack wondered, surprised by this.

"Um… Lots of things." The girl said, shrugging. "We only met a couple times, but he told me everything about the war, his friends, the Decepticons, the Autobots… Oh! And about Cybertron!" She remembered. Then, she averted her eyes, suddenly sad. "Last time we talked, he came to say goodbye, because he was going home…"

Fowler and June couldn't believe their ears. Knock Out shared his intimacy with a human?! When he was yet a Decepticon?! Were they talking about the same guy?! Jack, on the other hand, didn't seem to be as troubled as the adults were about knowing that the red medic befriended a human back on his days as Megatron's soldier; in fact, he was happy to know that this actually happened, because it meant that Bumblebee was right when he chose to give him a second chance.

Millie, on the other hand, was scared of these strangers. She feared that they were lying to her, because she clearly remembered that Knock Out said that he wouldn't come back… She wouldn't believe them without proves… And the teenager noticed it.

"Would you feel better if you talked to him?" He asked, receiving a nod as answer. "Ok. Give me a sec." He said with a smile, while pulling out his cellphone.

Back at the base, Ratchet was working on the decryption, while the others were, either, training or making some rounds. Even Rafael was absent, as the boy chose to spent some time with Bumblebee, who was talking with Nightglider, trying to get as much information about Sunscorch and Daybreak as he could. Things were complicating second by second, and the medic was starting to feel that the situation was getting out of their control.

At least the algorithm they created was working. Now they were capable of read fifty percent of the document… Well, of the _part_ of the document they downloaded. "Hopefully, this would help…" The old medic thought, right when an alarm told him that there was an incoming call. It was Jack.

"Jack? Is something the matter?" He asked.

« _Hi, Ratchet. Hey, I'm with Millie. She's finally awake, so, I was wondering… could you put Knock Out on the phone?_ » The teenager asked.

The girl was awake? That would certainly make the red medic feel better! Only one problem…

Ratchet grunted, remembering the events that took place that afternoon.

"He's recharging…" The Autobot said with a sigh, while massaging his forehead.

« _So? Can't you wake him up?_ » Jack wondered, confused.

"It's not so simple. He met with his sister, and returned to base in a state of shock. I had to administrate him a sedative to prevent him having a collapse." The mech explained. "Apparently, the Decepticons said that they are keeping an Autobot hostage, a Wrecker called Sunscorch. Knock Out fears that, if we don't rescue her soon enough, she will suffer a massive malfunction and power off for good…" Ratchet informed the teenager. "Sedate him was the only way to calm him down."

« _Or maybe not. C'mon, Ratch', put him on the phone. I bet that he will feel better after listening Millie's voice._ » Jack pressed.

Well, it was true that it could help…

Sighing, making his mind, Ratchet told Jack to hold on, and went to the red mech's quarters. On the way, he met with Bumblebee and Nightglider who were discussing something on the hallway. Whatever it was, it seemed important, as the warrior, when spotting the medic, gestured the flyer to stop his story. Then, he walked up to the older bot, asking if he was trying to wake up the red mech.

"The girl is awake, so…"

"It might not be a good idea, Ratch." Bumblebee said with sad eyes.

"May I ask why?" The medic wondered, arching an eyebrow. As far as he knew, he was the one in charge of making diagnosis on the team members…

"We heard him sleep-talking." The black mech commented, crossing his arms. "He's reviving _that_ day…" He sighed, looking at his friend's quarters' doors. "Trust me. Knock Out is as stressed as he was before you sedated him… Maybe more."

* * *

A whole Autobot camp was taken down by the Decepticons. Now the war was closer than ever to the clinic, and an attack to the place was mostly imminent. However, right now, he had to concentrate in the soldier he had in hands. Fortunately, with a good weld in the right spot, he was able to stop the bleeding, and the warrior was now on his way of recovering. It was a success.

Knock Out sighed in content, receiving a friendly pat on the shoulder from Breakdown, who congratulated him for another successful surgery. The medic gave him a friendly, yet brief, smile; he had no true reasons to smile, after all… The war was spreading faster than anyone could've forecasted, and the amount of warriors that he had to repair day by day was growing rapidly. "And there hasn't been any news from her yet…" He thought, remembering that it has been already four solar-cycles since the last time he and Sunscorch talked. Was she okay? What about the twins? Did they make it? Was she on her way back or…? No. He didn't want to think about the other option. It _wasn't_ an option.

Suddenly, another medic entered in the room asking for Breakdown's help. A new wave of injured people entered the clinic, and they were requiring help to move them. The bulky mech, however, looked at his friend before answer.

"Go, I'm fine." Knock Out assured him.

With a nod, the blue mech went out of the consulting room… That's when everything started to go wrong…

"Holy scrap!" Breakdown screamed out in pure horror, nanokliks after exiting the room they were in.

The Velocitronian arched an eyebrow at the yell. There was literary _nothing_ gross enough to scare his friend. What was going on out there? What happened?

Alarmed, the red mech ran out of the room, finding that his friend was frozen in the middle of the narrow hallway, gripping his head with both hands. Instinctively, Knock Out asked what happened, while running closer to the blue bot, who quickly turned around and grabbed him by the shoulders. He didn't want him to get any closer to the new wave of patients? Why? It wasn't as if he haven't seen it all already…

But then is when his eyes recognized _one_ of the injured warriors: Nightglider was being carried to a consulting room by two nurses. The medic started to tremble, while his spark picked up its beat rate, and his vents started to become erratic… It couldn't be him. It couldn't be the young warrior, because it would mean that… "No… No. Please, no." He mentally pleaded, shaking his head. Then, the Velocitronian slapped his friend's hands away, running towards the flyer.

It _was_ him…

Nightglider was being connected to a life-support, while one of the medics readied himself to treat his wounds. Knock Out didn't need to get close to see them: his left wing was practically torn apart, his propellants were burned (plasma shots, no doubt), his knees' junctions were broken, and his right arm was dislocated. He was leaking Energon by each and every injury on his body, especially the ones on his knees.

Completely ignoring the orders of his colleague, Knock Out refused to leave the room, and decided to attend the warrior himself, stating that it was a friend of his. Understanding the red mech's position, the other medic simply nodded, and allowed him to take care of the patient, while he went to another consulting room, where he was being needed.

The Velocitronian never really knew how long he spent on the surgery to put his friend back together; the only thing that he was sure of, was that, by the time he left the consulting room, the sun was setting again…

Breakdown was his only companion besides Nightglider, who was yet unconscious. As the night fell upon Cybertron, the only one who remained awake was Knock Out, who was unable to sleep… He was praying that, anytime now, somebody would enter the clinic with more wounded ones… With her…

Every klik that passed without any news from Sunscorch were complete torture for the poor medic, who, finally, understanding that she would never come back, let go from a sob while sitting on the floor and covering his face with his hands. She was gone. "I told you… I told you, you idiot! I told you to stay away from there!" He thought, while crying in utter despair.

A soft groan made him look towards the stretcher, and woke up Breakdown: Nightglider was coming to.

"Wha-what? K-Out…? Breakdown? Wh-where…?" The warrior stuttered, scanning his surroundings, trying to understand what happened and where he was.

"It's okay. You're back on the clinic." The medic explained, wiping away the tears.

"Your beacon went active. A rescue team found you right on time." The blue mech explained.

"Sun! Sunscorch, she…! Is she here?!" The black bot asked, suddenly remembering something.

Knock Out averted his eyes in pain. No. She wasn't there… And she would never be…

"No…" Nightglider whispered, understanding.

"I'm sorry, 'Glider. But… you were the _only one_ brought here. I don't know where Sunscorch or your brother are…" The red mech apologized.

"Sorry about your twin…" Breakdown added.

"Don't feel bad for him… **_He_** did this to me!" The flyer spat in pure hate. "He betrayed us!"

The two Neutral mechs shared a horror look before their friend started to tell them the whole story… of how Daybreak backstabbed his partners to become a Decepticon…

* * *

It wasn't new for him to be awakened by being shaken by the shoulders; however, to open his eyes and find three bots standing next to his berth, now that was a new one. Knock Out blinked a couple times, still feeling the drowsiness of the sedative, before sat up and ask what happened.

Jack was wondering if the red mech would pick up anytime soon… "For being a speed junkie, he's sure slow in other aspects…" He thought, while listening the echoes produced by the bots' steps through the phone line. Finally, Ratchet reappeared, saying that Knock Out was awaken and ready to speak with the girl. Smiling, Jack handled his cellphone to Millie, who shyly took it…

"Hello?" She greeted, doubting that her friend actually was on the other end of the line.

« _Millie? Is it really you?_ » It was his voice! It was him!

"Knock Out?" Her eyes glittered in joy, thing that made Jack and Fowler exchange a smile. Indeed, this little girl was friends with the medic.

« _Oh! I'm so glad you woke up!_ »

"Why are you back on Earth? Couldn't you save your planet after all?" She asked, worried and kind of sad for him if that was really the reason of why he returned.

« _It's… more complicated than that… Look, Cybertron was healed and everything, but… Well, the Decepticons lost the war, and, since I was one of them…_ » The medic sighed, trying to think of which would be the best way to explain her his current position. « _Millie, I'm a wanted criminal right now._ »

"What?! Why?! But, you weren't…!"

« _I know you don't understand, but... Do you remember what I told you? That I was with the bad guys?_ » She hummed in response at the question. Yes. She remembered it, but she never believed it. He was too nice to be a bad person. « _Well, when the war was coming to an end, and seeing where things were going… I decided to switch sides, since I didn't have real reasons to drown with the rest of the Decepticon army. However, it doesn't mean that I didn't have to face trial._ »

"And you were declared guilty?" The child wondered.

« _Um… Well, to be honest, I was going to be convicted for a lifetime; but… one of the Autobots vouched for me._ » Millie heard him chuckling, and could almost swear that he turned to look at someone. « _His name is Bumblebee. You're gonna like him, you'll see._ »

"So… It's okay to go with the Autobots?" She asked, looking at the teenager and the middle-age man in front of her.

« _Jack and Fowler are with you, aren't they?_ » He chuckled. « _Don't worry, they're trustworthy._ »

"They told me that they want to put me under the Autobots' protection…"

« _And I agree with that._ » Deep inside, Knock Out knew that the 'Cons were aware of his attachment to a human, due to his visit to the hospital, and his stupid mention of Millie during his battle with Solar Flare. To put her under guard was the most logical option. « _Besides, I'm living on their base, so, if you come here, we will be able to see each other again._ »

The thought of meeting with her old friend made her smile in happiness. However, there was a question on her mind that didn't let her be… Was he going to stay this time, or would he leave again? Millie asked this to him. She _had to ask him_ this, because, the last time he left, she was left alone… Nobody, ever again, talked to her as an equal. She was, again, treated as if she was stupid… The loneliness was never so strong before.

Knock Out sighed.

« _I… I'm sorry, Millie… But given the position I'm in right now, I can't make any promises. I wish I could but… I'm on probation, meaning that, after the timespan of my parole is done, I'll have to go to trial again, and I don't know which the result will be…_ » He explained.

The sudden wale of an alarm made all the bots jump on their place, at the same time that Rafael started to run the scanners, which showed that five different Decepticon signals were mobilizing at the same time. Ratchet and Bumblebee exchanged a look, before the medic decided to check the coordinates at the screens, revealing five different destinations.

Seeing this, and knowing what it meant, Knock Out apologized with Millie, and hung up the call.

"Must be Shockwave. He must have found whatever he was looking for…" The red mech commented.

"Agree." The older medic said.

"Then… he was looking for five experiments?" The teenager asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Or it could be a diversion." The Velocitronian retorted. "It wouldn't be the first time they use that trick." He added, looking at Bumblebee, who nodded.

"Even if it is, we can't afford to leave it uninvestigated. We'll have to intercept them all." The warrior said, evaluating the situation.

"Indeed."

Everyone turned around when a femme's voice filled the control room, noticing that Elita was walking up to them, frowning slightly. She heard it all, undoubtedly, and was working on a plan of action.

Analyzing the situation, the pink femme called everyone to return to the control room, while making a plan: the 'Cons had many advantages against them, including the Seekers, and the assistance of a traitor. Not to count the probable presence of one of the Constructicons, if the report they had from Cybertron was right. It was too risky to work alone; they would have to go in teams. "No time to lay low, then." She thought, concluding that Chromia, Ironhide and her would have to go engage.

With the plan decided, Ratchet started to enter the coordinates into the ground-bridge, and the teams started to move: Smokescreen and Arcee went to the Chinese mountains; Bulkhead and Wheeljack would go to the Arctic Circle; Chromia and Ironhide got Africa. Now there were a couple problems: they were missing a team, and Knock Out couldn't be left without surveillance. Otherwise, his parole would be history…

"Sounds like we're in this together." Bumblebee commented with a shrug. "What you say? Would you fight some 'Cons with me?" He asked, extending a hand to the red mech.

"I'm not a real soldier, I was trained to be a doctor." Knock Out admitted, while averting his eyes, so he could look at the screens. "However." He looked at Bumblebee's eyes. "The Decepticons crossed the line by putting my own sister against me." He took the warrior's hand. "I'll do the best I can. And that's a promise."

Smiling, the yellow mech gestured Ratchet to open the bridge for them. Once the green vortex was ready, both bots transformed and drove off.

Now, to solve the other problem: Elita didn't have someone to go with, unless Ratchet left with her. But, it would mean to leave the base without a medic available, in case someone got hurt and needed assistance; it wasn't a good option either.

"I'll go." Nightglider commented, walking towards the other two Cybertronians. "I messed up when I arrived to Earth, and I want to compensate."

The femme turned to look at him, placing her hands on her hip.

"Are you sure that you can remain under control, even if we run into your twin?" She wondered, arching an eyebrow.

"I'll try my best, ma'am." He assured, straightening up.

Elita nodded.

"Open the ground-bridge." She ordered, while transforming into her new alt-mode, and driving right into the portal, followed closely by Nightglider.

Like in the old times, the only ones left at base were Ratchet and Rafael to orchestrate everything.

* * *

 **Sorry it is a transition chapter. Next one will have more action in it. I promise.**

 **Please let me a review with your opinions.**

 **Since I won't update until next week: Happy New Year!**

 **Bye!**


	30. TWENTY NINE: 'Cons Hunters

**Hello, everybody! Hope you're fine!**

 **Hi, Gst, long time no see! I missed you.**

 **Now, answering to your review: you don't have to worry, ok? I hate all kind of violence (reason why I rarely, a.k.a. NEVER, kill a character in my stories). Psychological, verbal, physical... I don't care, if it's violence I'm against it, because it goes against my moral (I'm against the culture of the death, and all that it means). However, given the character I chose to redeem, I had to add the fact that he was a torturer; but not because I agree with it, but because he's shown applying torture to the prisoners. Cylas, for example, he keeps him alive to experiment with him; and, about his scene with Smokescreen, I'm pretty much sure that he spared the pain because the Phase Shifter was a more efficient and faster way to retrieve the Omega Key from inside of him. True that the characters that more often appears torturing prisoners in the show are Starscream, Airachnid and Shockwave (Fowler, Wheeljack, Arcee and Cliffjumper); but it seemed to be the** ** _only_** **interrogation method among the 'Cons. Also, remember that one of Knock Out's first dialogs in the show, when he's told to help a comatose Megatron, is: "I've done plenty body-work, but I'm better in breaking them than at fixing them." So, I had to work with what the show gave me, and with what I wanted to say.**

 **I'm glad to know you're against torture, and I'm sorry that I worried you like this. It wasn't my intention. I just wanted to write a story about the concept of redemption, which is that a person, realizing that he/she has comitted a terrible crime at any level, decides to change and starts to do what's in its power to deserve forgiveness (Knock Out admiting that he "never had the best role-models" in** ** _Predacons Rising_** **gave me the idea).  
**

 **I only mentioned this because it was mentioned in the series, but that's all. I promise that Knock Out won't torture anybody in my story. I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable, it wasn't my intention.**

 **This goes to all my readers. I do not intend to make you feel uneasy; all I want is to share a nice and happy moment with you, guys. So, if there's something bugging you, all you have to do is ask, ok?  
**

 **WARNING: English isn't my mother language, so there might be some grammar mistakes in here.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own** ** _Transformers_** **franchise, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **TWENTY NINE: 'Cons Hunters**

 **[Mt. Makalu, China]**

Arcee and Smokescreen were trying their best not to fall down the mountain slope. The ground wasn't exactly even, reason why ride and walk were both difficult, without even count the wind that was threatening with blow them away. The mech was having less trouble than the femme, since he was bigger and heavier. The four-wheeler, for so, was leading the expedition.

The scanner picked up a faint signal right ahead, straight into one of the pikes. Both bots exchanged a look before nod, and ready their weapons. There was a big chance that they would run into one of the 'Cons as they approached the place.

At the top of the peak, a dark silhouette was already waiting…

… … …

 **[Tundra, Arctic Circle]**

Two vehicles were racing towards the coordinates where their scanners picked up a faint sign. When they exited the ground-bridge, they were expecting a welcome committee from the Decepticons, however, all they found was the emptiness of the landscape greeting them. It was weird, but, they didn't have time to analyze the situation.

Bulkhead was the first in transform and drive off, followed closely by Wheeljack. They were in a race against time, after all. If they were the ones with the right set of coordinates, they couldn't let the 'Cons lay their hands on the experiment before they did!

Miles ahead from them, two aircrafts (one cerulean, the other purple) were circling the area of the signal, looking for a metallic pod.

… … …

 **[African jungle]**

A red Ram pickup truck, and a cerulean Ford SL100, were making their way out of a green vortex, only to realize that they were surrounded by trees. It was impossible for them to keep going on their wheels, so they quickly transformed into their bipedal forms.

Chromia was put in charge of the scanner, while Ironhide would take care of the security. Both bots started walking.

"Wha-?!" The femme yelped when feeling that something just jumped onto her back.

Ironhide looked at it, and let out a light hearted laugh, telling his partner not to worry: it was just a curious monkey. He grabbed the animal and put it back on the trees.

"Okay… I didn't expect that…" The cerulean bot commented, while scratching the point where she felt the monkey.

"Oh, you should've seen ya face!" The mech chuckled.

Chromia was nanokliks away from retort, but the noise and the visual of a large bunch of trees falling on the distance, raising a thick cloud of dust, told them that they weren't alone… and that they were late…

… … …

 **[Somewhere in the Sahara desert]**

A bright yellow Camaro and a scarlet red Aston Martin were following their scanners… which was pretty much the only thing to follow besides the wind. In fact, Bumblebee was starting to feel like his tires were melting after a couple minutes of driving.

"Oh, please. Is not that bad…" Knock Out said while checking his radar, making sure they were alone.

"Let me guess: you have experience with this kind of environments too, don't you?" The warrior wondered out loud.

"Have you ever been in Velocitron at noon?"

"Huh… No. Why, you have?" The Camaro wondered, looking at his companion through the mirrors.

"I'm from there, genius…" The red car huffed.

"Really? Why did you leave?"

Knock Out doubted if answer that question, because it would mean to reveal his medical condition… And yet, why should he hide it from the Autobots? True that they weren't best pals, or anything like that yet, but they weren't like the Decepticons either! They wouldn't care if he wasn't perfectly functional, they would probably just shrug about it and move onto another matter. He was tired of keeping so many secrets, some of them being really stupid.

However, a golden reflection on his right mirror caught his attention before he could answer. It was catching up with them at an incredibly speed.

"Scrap! We have company!" He warned his partner, transforming, readying to fight.

The warrior did the same, realizing about the champagne colored Cybertronian car that was speeding towards them.

Knock Out would recognize her anywhere… It was Solar Flare.

… … …

 **[Acropolis of Athens, Greece]**

A pink Mustang 0.5 was rushing towards the outskirts of some ancient ruins, led by her partner, a strange black airship. The signal was right ahead. With some luck, they would reach the object before the Decepticons…

Or not…

The sound of someone else's propellant, called the car's attention, as it hid below the nearest shadow it could find. Fortunately, the newcomer didn't seem to notice her presence as he flew away. She could recognize him anywhere: it was Starscream, and he was after the same thing.

"Approach with caution, Nightglider. Starscream is in the area." Elita warned her escort.

« _If he's here, it could mean that we got the real deal, right?_ » He asked, hopeful.

"Or it could be a very well planned deception…" The femme mused out loud. There was only one way to know what Shockwave's plan was: the Seeker was never good as staying quiet. All she needed to do was force him to talk. "'Glider, I have a plan… Sort of…"

… … …

 **[Arcee and Smokescreen]**

"Hey! Wait for me!" The blue mech yelled at his partner, who was climbing the mountain's peak with an incredible agility.

Arcee stopped briefly to look down at him.

"Hurry up, slug!" She teased, before resume her way.

"Easy for you to say…" Smokescreen mumbled while reaching out for a rock where he could grab a hold. "Not _all of us_ has blades in our arms…" He kept saying, while climbing.

The femme, oblivious to his comments, kept going without mind her partner. The Elite Guard led the major part of the way, ignoring her at some points, so she was now going to have a little revenge. However, her smile faded away when she saw something tall and dark moving a couple feet above her, at the mountain's peak. She didn't need to look it twice to say it: a Decepticon was waiting for them already. Quickly, she tried to call her partner to warn him, but someone shot her off the stone wall.

Losing her grip, Arcee found herself falling doing the mountain, until a hand wrapped around her left leg. Smokescreen caught her, but almost lost grip himself.

Looking below them, the blue bots knew that fall down wasn't an option. They were too high already, meaning that they would be scrap before meet the ground. The femme looked at her partner, who was struggling to keep them both alive, while someone kept shooting at them from the top. Biting her lip, she tried to get a hold on the rock wall, but as soon as she tried to move, Smokescreen almost lose his grip around her leg; and, anyway, be upside-down wasn't the best position to climb a mountain.

"Can you reach my back?!" The Elite Guard asked, when a shot almost hit his head. He needed to answer the attack, but he couldn't do it with both hands busy.

"I can try!" The femme answered, while stretching her arms towards the mech's lower body.

Putting away her blades, Arcee reached for one of Smoke's legs. Once she was firmly holding into it, her partner let go from her, and started to answer the fire. Meanwhile, the two-wheeler climbed up to his back carefully, trying not to touch her partner doorwings, while trying not to get shot off. Once on position, she wrapped her legs around his waist, and, while holding onto one of Smokescreen's shoulders, Arcee took out one of her blasters and helped the mech to answer the attack.

Between the two of them, the Autobots were able to force their attacker to take cover. That was their chance.

"Keep climbing! I'll give us cover fire!" The femme said.

"Just be careful not to fall down!" He told her, while transforming his right servo back into his hand, so he could keep climbing. However, this time he was trying to hurry up. "This will be bumpy!"

… … …

 **[Bulkhead and Wheeljack]**

The Wreckers were a few miles away from the signal's coordinates when a missile took them off the road. Transforming, both mechs saw a cerulean aircraft that was preparing for a second round. "Thundercracker, Daybreak, or whoever you're, not a good day to sport that color." Wheeljack thought, while opening fire, followed closely by Bulkhead.

The flyer dodged the shots and counterattacked, forcing the white mech to jump off the way of the shot.

"Hey, 'Warp, I have the Wreckers on my sight. I'll buy you some time, but you have to hurry up and dig that pod out, now!" The cerulean mech warned his partner through their commlink.

« _No problem. It's almost out. Just gimme five kliks._ » The second Seeker announced. Thundercracker was capable of hear his denta gritting while the purple mech put all his strength into the task of retrieving the experiment from the soil in which it was buried after half million years.

"I'll give you three." Then, the Decepticon concentrated his firepower onto the Wreckers.

Bulkhead and Wheeljack transformed to get off range, and splitted up before drive back towards their attacker. It was a good strategy… if Thundercracker couldn't manage two battle fronts at the same time… Chuckling, the Seeker transformed into his bipedal form, and, while firmly landing onto his feet, shot at both cars at the same time. He did hit the white one, unfortunately, the green Jeep avoided the shot and charged towards him at max speed. Only when he was close enough, Bulkhead transformed again, connecting a blow between his wrecking ball and the cerulean mech's face.

Thundercracker, stunned by this, stumbled a few steps backwards, before cover his mouth with his left hand to wipe the Energon he spat. It was the first time that ground-pounder took him by surprise like that… Well, except for Knock Out, but that was because he needed the medic to low his guard. Growling, he looked back at his opponent, who was hurriedly running towards his partner.

"Jackie! You alright?!" He wondered, offering a hand to his friend, who seemed to be a little disorientated.

"Huh… Never been better…" The white mech said, while accepting his friend's help, and massaging his helm. Then, he saw something behind Bulkhead. "Look out!" He yelled pushing them out of the way of another shot.

"You punched me, Wrecker… You're going down first…" Thundercracker snarled, while lowering his blaster.

Bulkhead and Wheeljack exchanged an amused look, before the white mech masked himself and took out his swords.

"Wreck and rule?" He asked.

"Wreck and rule." The green one nodded.

And then, both of them ran towards the Seeker, who was ready to fight.

… … …

 **[Chromia and Ironhide]**

A cerulean femme was thrown against a tree, which gave in under the pressure, and fell with a loud noise; meanwhile a bulky red mech was in a hand-to-hand with a smaller, yet strong, green and purple mech who identified himself as "Scrapper" a few minutes ago, when the Autobots found him digging something out of the ground. Pissed by this strange Decepticon, Ironhide pushed him through half forest, until Scrapper's back hit a stone. Nothing that he or Chromia threw to this guy hurt him. But, maybe he would be able to squash him…

"You're gonna pay for hurting Chrom'…" The red warrior snarled, his face inches away from the other one's.

"We'll see, glitch-head."

A kick to the tank, and Scrapper freed himself by twisting Ironhide arms away. His priority was to retrieve the pod, but, maybe, he could add the termination of this two Autobots as a bonus. However, when he managed to, somehow, out-muscle the red warrior, an Energon axe landed right next to his left audio-recpetor; the weapon was thrown with such strength that it pierced into the rock, sticking out right next to his head.

"Scrap! I missed!" Chromia cursed, while running towards the two mechs, trying to help her partner.

Scrapper retrieved the femme's weapon from the stone and examined it.

"Nice axe. I think I'm keeping it…" He mocked the warrior for letting go from it, chuckling when he saw her growl and transform one of her servos into a blaster.

"I don't think so, slag-head!"

Ironhide punched the Constructicon right on the chin, sending him flying several feet away from where he was standing. Agitated by the exercising, the red mech grabbed his partner's weapon and went to return it to her.

"I think this is yours." He said with a smirk.

The femme took it gladly, before peck him on the cheek. Then, she looked to the place where they found Scrapper digging, and checked her scanner. Indeed. Whatever signal they were picking up, it was emanating from there. But, before they could start digging, Scrapper was running back at them.

… … …

 **[Bumblebee and Knock Out]**

The yellow warrior opened fire against the champagne colored vehicle that was speeding towards them. Unfortunately, every single shot from him hit the sand instead, while Solar Flare grew closer. "Not today, sis…" Knock Out thought, while getting in position. He knew that the femme wasn't stupid enough to engage them both in a battle; she would try to bypass them and get to the coordinates first. Well. He wasn't in the mood of allowing it…

As soon as the car that sported the Decepticons' mark passed next to him, the red mech threw himself on top of it, forcing the femme to transform into her bipedal form to defend herself.

In consequence for the medic's tackle, both bots rolled several feet before come to a halt in which they let go from each other at the same time, while getting up. Knock Out pulled up his saws, while Solar flare deployed her swords, and masked her face.

"Big mistake, baby brother…" She hissed.

"I can't let you pass by me, Solar." He growled… However, he couldn't stop seeing the femme from his memories, the one that was always laughing out loud and celebrating her victories on the racing tracks. "Please, we don't have to do this…" He almost pleaded. No. He couldn't fight her just like that… Even when he didn't like what she became, she was still his sister.

"Maybe not. I just want to!" That said, the lieutenant charged against the medic.

Sighing in disappointment, the Velocitronian ran towards his sister, ready to fight. When the siblings' weapons clashed, Bumblebee could see sparks flying off due to the friction of the metal. Grunting, the yellow bot started to run towards the red mech to aid him; but, as soon as Knock Out saw the Autobot's intentions, the medic pushed the femme away and opened a commlink to his partner.

"Forget about us! Get the experiment!" He ordered to the warrior, right before have to reject an incoming attack from Solar Flare, who tried to stab him on the chest.

"Don't be stupid! She's a lieutenant, you're a medic!" Bumblebee retorted, while running towards the siblings and deploying his guns.

Knock Out kicked the femme away once again, and turned to look at his partner, still with the commlink open.

"Lieutenant or not, she's still my sister, and I can handle whatever she throws at me! I might not be the fastest racer of Delta City, but I'm still a Velocitronian with enhanced speed; you're not! Now go!" He demanded, glaring at the figure of the yellow mech who stopped on his tracks at the anger on the medic's voice.

The younger bot sighed, put away his weapons and transformed to drive away.

« _I hope you know what you're doing. Good luck._ » The warrior wished to him, before disappear on the distance.

Sighing as well, Knock Out got on position to resume the fight against his older sister, who was collecting herself from the dune where she landed. Okay, the femme seemed more pissed than ever. "You're not the only one, kiddo…" The red mech thought, while gulping due to the expression of the Decepticon, who seemed ready to kill him.

Family or not, he couldn't lose this fight…

… … …

 **[Elita-One and Nightglider]**

The pink Mustang was now out in the open, and approaching the coordinates. Inspecting its surroundings, the vehicle decided that was alone, and, for so, kept driving a little bit further. But, as soon as the sun reflected onto its hood, someone shot to the car from up high, and the explosion forced the Mustang to turn abruptly, making it lose some control as its rear tires slightly separated from the ground below them. The vehicle came to a halt inches away from a large pillar. "Phew… That was close…" The pink car thought, happy to know that it wouldn't be responsible of damaging a piece of human culture.

But the calm didn't last as an F-22 appeared into view and transformed into a silver grey mech that landed on his feet, while readying his weapons to fight.

"Well, well, well… What do we've here?" He said, arching an eyebrow in amusement. "It appears that the Autobots got some new partners, huh?" He added, while aiming at the car. "Identify yourself."

Starscream's expression when the vehicle transformed into a tall pink femme, who quickly masked herself, ready to engage him in battle, was priceless. No doubt he recognized her, since he stumbled a couple steps back while wildly shaking his head in denial, almost as if he was looking at a ghost.

"You didn't recognize me, Screamer? Now you're hurting my feelings." The femme teased him, while developing her blasters, and walking towards the air commander.

"E-Elita-One?! B-but you're offline!" He shrieked, not truly believing in his eyes.

"Let me guess: your buddy Shockwave told you that?" She warmed up her guns and aimed at him. "A word of advice? Don't trust a 'Con. They tend to lie." Elita added before open fire.

Dodging the shots, the Seeker answered the attack with his second missile, forcing the femme to jump out of the way. Elita made a roll on the ground, before get on her feet and shoot back; this time Starscream decided to take off and attack from the sky. "Keeping your distance? Why I'm not surprised?" The Autobot thought, while running behind a ruin, taking cover.

The jet flew around the building's remains, until he got a clear shot. The femme, unimpressed, aimed at his wings and opened fire at the same time he did. Both warriors hit their target, and the impact took each other aback. So, while Elita found her back hitting the wall behind her, Strascream found himself falling off the sky, as his left wing got damaged; fortunately, he was capable to transform and fall on his feet instead of crash flat against the ground, which would've been more painful, not to mention more humiliating. A grounded Seeker was a dead Seeker, everyone knew that!

Grunting, the mech took out both of his blasters and started to scan the area.

Elita was nowhere to be found.

Pissed for have lost his ability to fly, the commander started to scout the place, ready to shoot at anything that moved, either if it was mechanical or not…

"Come out, come out, wherever you are…" He teased her.

His answer? A kick on the middle of the face that made him fall on his back; then, a foot stomping onto his chest, right on top of his spark-chamber. When he was able to open his eyes, the first thing he saw was Elita pinning him against the floor, with both blasters aimed at him and ready to shoot.

"Time to talk, Screamer: what did you come to retrieve?" She asked, straightforward as it was her custom.

"I don't know what you're talking about… I was simply stretching my wings." He tried to play innocent.

Pissed, the femme pressed harder against his chest. A little crack could be heard.

"Don't lie to me, Screamer. Now: what did you come to retrieve?" She repeated.

"I'm not talking." Starscream retorted.

"Big words, coming from you… I think we both know that you would betray your own carrier to save your aft."

The Seeker's claws suddenly closed around her other foot, and yanked from it to make her lose balance. In no time, _he_ was the one pinning her against the ground.

"Yes, well… You met me in the worst part of my life…" He commented, while holding her arms, preventing her from attack him. The femme squirmed under him, trying to set herself free. The Seeker chuckled. "I must say that I always admired your spirits. Optimus trained you well." He said, while gripping both of Elita's wrists with one hand, so he could place the sharp claws of the other on top of her neck. "Give him my regards when you join him in the AllSpark."

"Greet him yourself!"

Far from giving up, Elita flexed her lower body, until she was able to wrap her legs around his neck; then, she pulled him off, freeing her servos. Soon, her blasters were back her hands, only that, now, two shiny blades were coming out of her wrists. Reversing the situation one more time, the femme pinned the Seeker by kneeling on top of his chest, and pressing the blades against Starscream's neck, who, at the same time, placed the barrels of his blasters against the sides of her torso.

"Seems we reached a dead point…" He mused.

"I'm not afraid, Screamer." Elita snarled, while pressing her swords harder against his throat. "What about you?" She asked, frowning and narrowing her eyes.

The mech scoffed.

"I think that we both know better than that, Autobot…" His blaster started to hiss, heating up. "Any last words?"

However, after this question, the roar of a thruster called the Seeker's attention, right on time to see a black Cybertronian plane transform into a young mech that knocked him out. With Starscream counting the stars that were dancing around his head, Elita got off her prey and put away her weapons.

"You're late." She complained with an amused smirk, while retracting her mask.

"Hey! Do you know how deep in the rocks it was? I had to dig a lot…" He retorted, while massaging his shoulders to stress. "By the way, I already delivered it to the base."

"What was it?"

"That's the weird part. It wasn't an experiment, it was a stasis pod." The flyer said, arching an eyebrow.

… … …

 **[Arcee and Smokescreen]**

The two-wheeler femme jumped off her friend's back as soon as they reached the peak, finding that the most unsuspected 'Con was waiting for them: Shockwave. The chief scientist was firmly standing in front of them, readying his gun to shoot. Behind him, Smokescreen got a glimpse of something that resembled a stasis pod, and called Arcee's attention about it. The femme found strange that the Decepticon was protecting such item; after all, wasn't he here for some old experiment? Did they get everything wrong?

Without warning, Shockwave opened fire against them, forcing both warriors to jump away from each other, before counter the attack. Soon enough, Arcee found herself kneeled down, covered in snow, and shooting at the approximate position where the Decepticon was standing. Between the exhaustion for climbing up a whole fragging mountain, and the blizzard that was making it hard to stay put and aim, the two-wheeler decided that, if they were hoping to win, then they would need a better strategy than to simply empty their clips trying to hit something. Dodging another incoming shot, the femme opened called her partner through the commlink.

"Change of plans, I distract the cyclops, you get the pod." She said, while resuming the shooting.

Not too far from there, Smokescreen stopped his attack to answer the proposition.

"You sure, 'Cee?" He asked, briefly looking at the femme, before resume fire.

« _Smoke, I can barely move. My frame is starting to freeze, and the wind is too strong up here; my agility will not help, and my firepower isn't strong enough to back you up for long. Just grab the damn pod, ask for a ground-bridge and get it out of here!_ » Was his only answer.

"Yes, ma'am."

That said, he waited until Shockwave was distracted enough for him to bypass the violet mech, and started running towards the pod.

However, there was one thing that none of them took in consideration: the chief scientist was no ordinary Cybertronian. Ruled by pure logic, he knew that there was an element that was both, their strongest, yet their weakest element: their team. Yes, he was conscious that the Autobots outnumbered him, making him vulnerable to their combined strengths; however, he also knew that, if one of them ended in mortal danger, the other one would abandon the mission to save its partner. So, as soon as he noticed Smokescreen's intentions, Shockwave shot Arcee three times in a row, until she lost balance and rolled off the ledge.

As he guessed, as soon as the Elite Guard saw it, the blue mech grunted, forgetting about the pod, and running towards his partner, who was struggling not to fall into the abyss.

Now, all that the scientist had to do, was to pull the pod out of the stone, and call for a ground-bridge. Firmly grabbing the vessel, Shockwave grinded the rocks that were trapping the object with his cannon. Now, he was free to take it out of there.

"I have the experiment. Open the ground-bridge." He said through the commlink, seconds before a green vortex opened next to him.

Meanwhile, Arcee, now with a wounded arm, was praying for her life as she felt her frozen digits starting to let go from the stone she grabbed to prevent her fall. "No, no, no, no. Don't let go. Don't let go…" The femme mentally begged, as her hand slipped away. Fortunately, another hand grabbed her by the arm, before she could fall.

"Gotcha!" Smokescreen said, happily, while pulling her up to safety.

"Smoke?! Where's the pod?!" Arcee wondered, while her partner made one last effort to lift her completely.

A little disappointed for failing the mission, all the mech was capable to do was watch back to the spot where they found the vessel, only to see a ground-bridge turning off.

"Shockwave took it." He said, while helping her stand up. "I couldn't save you both at the same time…"

The two-wheeler sighed before massage her injured shoulder junction. The burn mark was big, and stained half her chest. The 'Con could've terminated her if he only aimed a few inches lower, and to the left; but he didn't… Because, if he did, then Smokescreen wouldn't have had a reason to leave the pod's side…

Sighing again, Arcee patted her partner's chest.

"It's okay, Smoke. I would've done the same." She admitted with a smile.

The mech returned the smile.

"Glad to hear that." He said with a nod. "Now let's get out of here, before our tailpipes freezes off."

"You got it, 'Silver'." The femme joked, while reaching for her commlink.

Suddenly, Smokescreen's hand was on her shoulder. Turning around, she noticed that he was embarrassed, though she couldn't come up with a reason…

"Please don't mention _how_ we got up here, like, _ever again_." The Elite Guard pleaded.

Laughing out loud, Arcee asked a ground-bridge.

… … …

 **[Bulkhead and Wheeljack]**

Skywarp already delivered the pod, and warped himself back to the battlefield to see if his partner needed any help… "Why did I even bothered?" He wondered, sighing, when he appeared back in the tundra, where Thundercracker was kicking the Wreckers' tailpipes.

Bulkhead was taking the worst part, since the Seeker meant every word when he threatened him. But, far from giving up, the green mech charged again against the cerulean flyer, clashing against him, and sending them both to the ground. It wasn't until Thundercracker was trapped under his weight that the Wrecker noticed the presence of the second Seeker who, seeing that his buddy needed help, quickly deployed his weapons.

"Jakie! Can you take that one?!" The green mech asked his partner, who was yet a little stunned after the fifth or sixth kick on the head.

"Sure, no problem!" The Wrecker said while taking out his swords, and charging against Skywarp.

The purple mech opened fire against the incoming soldier, who was capable of dodge the shooting and get close enough to use his blades. In no time, both Seekers were wrestling with the Autobots, trying to prevent getting hurt… or permanently offline. However, their physical strengths seemed to be even, since nobody was proving to be able of defeating their current opponent.

Time to change tactics…

With a sly smile on the lips, Wheeljack quickly passed from pushing against Skywarp, to _pull_ him onwards. It was so sudden that all the poor flyers could do was yelp, as he felt his body being thrusted over the white Wrecker's back, with his feet marking an arch on the air, before his back hit the ground with a loud metallic noise.

The purple Seeker grunted in pain when his weight fell on top of one of his wings, and, wanting revenge, glared at the Wrecker, who, preparing to take his prisoner down, didn't notice Skywarp's right foot violently throwing itself towards his face. Weeljack only noticed about this maneuver when the Seeker connected the kick.

With his head ringing, the white mech took two or three steps back, massaging his face.

"Again?! Seriously, what's your fetish about kickin' people on the face?!" He complained, while thanking the stars for have been masked, otherwise Skywarp's foot would've ended in his mouth…

Without answering, the purple flyer sat up and opened fire against Bulkhead, who, being hit on the shoulder, accidentally let go from Thundercracker. The cerulean Seeker used this chance to set himself free, and ran to help his partner. Quickly, he helped Skywarp to get on his feet, right on time to notice two very pissed off Wreckers running towards them.

"Time to warp, don't you think?" He commented to his friend, who lasted a couple seconds in understand the reference. "Seriously, you're the densest guy I ever met…" He added, arching an eyebrow, as the purple mech opened the portal to escape the place.

Wheeljack saw their intentions of running away, and quickly grabbed his grenade.

"Oh, no, you won't!" He said, while throwing the bomb inside the vortex where those two disappeared.

The Seekers were gone, and probably took the experiment with them… but they didn't realize that they also took a little "farewell present" from the white Wrecker, who, satisfied, unmasked his smirk. His only regret was that he wouldn't be there to see the grenade go off…

… … …

 **[Back on Shockwave's facility, control room]**

Daybreak, who was left in charge of the place while the rest of the team went to retrieve the experiments, was monitoring the Decepticons' and the pods' signals. It seemed that the Autobots send an immediate response to their sudden mobilization around the globe, and, for what he could see, there were more Autobots than everyone thought on first place. But everything seemed to be fine… The 'Cons were keeping them at stake, so the pods were protected. In fact, the Seekers already recovered the first one, so the other four shouldn't be a challenge, right?

It was then when a green light illuminated the room, calling the cerulean flyer's attention. Turning away from the screens, Daybreak saw Thundercracker and Skywarp reappearing inside the base. They looked like scrap.

"What happened to you?" He wondered.

"The Wreckers…" Thundercracker said, right before something else fell right in front of him and his trine brother.

The three mechs stared at the small shiny cylinder for one or two kliks before understand what it was… In fact, Daybreak was the first one in take cover, just before the grenade exploded in the Seekers' faces.

Well, seems that the old motto of "Wreck and rule" still worked among the unit's survivors… as well as their fondness for explosive devices…

It was then when Daybreak's commlink pinged.

… … …

 **[Chromia and Ironhide]**

They were hardcore warriors. They met at the War Academy. They loved to fight. Yet, this guy was a pain in the aft for both of them… Scrapper was harder to beat down than anybody they've met. While Ironhide and Chromia were panting and trying to ignore the dents on their bodies, the 'Con was ready for more. In fact, he attacked the femme who was holding onto her knees, sending her backwards, until she finally had to kneel down. With a wicked smile, seeing that the red mech was already loading his cannons to try to protect his partner, Scrapper shot the cerulean femme at point blank.

Ironhide's eyes widened in horror as the flash of the blaster's plasma shone right before the explosion was heard. Suddenly, the time slowed down for the weapons specialist, as the green mech left the unconscious body of Chromia lying languidly on the ground, as he went to secure the experiment. The red mech hurried to assist the femme, whose chassis was burned. Fortunatelly, there didn't seem to be any permanent damage; and, also, the warm in his spark helped him to relax, since it told him that the cerulean warrior was fainted, but not terminated.

However, she needed immediate medical attention.

"Ratchet! Open a ground-bridge! Chromia is down!" He said, through the commlink.

« _Give me a second, we have another wounded one!_ » The medic answered, and Ironhide was able to hear Bumblebee's and Arcee's voices in the back. Seems they returned from their respective missions.

Soon enough a green vortex opened right next to the bulky mech, who gently lifted the cerulean femme in a bridal style, and started to walk into the portal. But, before completely abandon the place, Ironhide decided to have a little revenge. Glancing above his right shoulder, he saw that the Decepticon finally unburied a stasis pod. "I'm sorry, Optimus. I know ya' will be disappointed, but… I can't let him go just like that!" He mentally apologized to his lost friend, before quickly turn around, put Chromia's legs down, and shot to the vessel, startling the green mech, who fell on his butt by the surprise. "That's for hurting my femme, slagging scrap-head." He thought, before grab the cerulean bot's legs again and enter the base.

Inside, he found out that Ratchet was already inside the med-bay, while Rafael was in charge of the control room and the ground-bridge. Also, he could see that that girl, Miko, was back on Jasper; there was no sign of the third boy, but he didn't have time to ask, Chromia needed medical attention. Ignoring Elita's and Nightglider's presence, the red mech entered the medical bay… Only to find out that there were two stretchers occupied already…

… … …

 **[Bumblebee and Knock Out]**

A yellow mech was digging on the middle of the greatest desert of Earth, hoping that all this would worth the trouble, as he could hear the fuss little behind him, where Knock Out was holding back his sister. However, suddenly, the battle went silent, and Bumblebee guessed that one of the siblings just earned the victory. Having a very bad feeling about it, he commed his partner… who didn't pick up. "Scrap!" He mentally cursed while trying to get up. He should've never let him alone!

As soon as he stood up, his feet slipped inside the hole he dug, hitting something hard… something metallic. Surprised, the warrior turned around and shoved the sand and dirt away, revealing a stasis pod. He grabbed it and pulled it out of the dune where it was buried. Was this what they were after? Long lost soldiers, like the one Magnus found at Darkmount? But why? Shockwave was a scientist, he should be looking some experiment, not this! What was truly going on?!

Something thin and sharp poked him on the back of his neck, and, looking from above his shoulder, Bumblebee saw that it was Solar Flare… Knock Out lost the fight…

"Thank you for digging it out for me, officer. Now, if you could step aside…" She said, with that flirtatious way of talking. But it didn't work on him.

"Where's Knock Out?" He asked, slowly deploying his blaster, out of the femme's view.

She chuckled.

"You know, it's funny how you worry for my useless brother…" Solar Flare commented. "Now, officer, _move_." She repeated, pressing her sword against his neck.

"Bite me." Bumblebee retorted, while passing his right arm around his waist to shot her by surprise.

The femme fall on her back, allowing the yellow mech to easily subdue her, turning her around and putting her hands behind her back. Once with the stasis-cuffs on position, the warrior asked again for his friend's welfare, but she said nothing… He grunted, deploying all his blasters, and placing the barrel's mouth on the side of her head.

It was then when the situation complicated…

"I wouldn't do that if I were you…" A mech said.

Looking up, Bumblebee saw Nightglider's twin, who had his right arm wrapped around Knock Out's neck, and his left blaster placed against the medic's helm. The red mech was helplessly trying to get free with his right arm, while the left one was pending lifelessly at the side of his body, undoubtedly broken. So that's what happened: Solar Flare called for back-up, and, between the both of them, overpowered the poor medic.

Growling, the warrior decided to play the same cards and grabbed Solar Flare as hostage.

Okay… this was a dead point…

"Well, this is interesting…" The femme commented with a sly smile.

"Seriously? We're both hostages, and that's the first thing that comes to your mind?!" The medic complained.

"Enough!" Daybreak yelled, while shaking Knock Out who yelped in pain for his broken arm. Then, the cerulean mech looked back at the other warrior. "Now, we both know that you wouldn't do it…" He pressed his blaster harder against the medic's head. "… but _I will_."

"He's not lying, Autobot. If you don't let go from me, my brother is history…" Solar Flare almost purred, looking above her shoulder, to Bumblebee's frowned eyes.

Grunting, the former scout sighed and put away his blasters while lowering his face. Knock Out, seeing this, panicked.

"Bumblebee, no…! Ah!" He couldn't help to yell in pain when Daybreak pressed his wound.

"Alright, alright! I'll let her go… Only if you let go from him at the same time…" The young mech said.

"Fine for me." The flyer agreed, nodding.

Solar Flare simply smiled satisfied, thinking of how she would enjoy to finish this idiot once he opened her cuffs. The medic, on the other hand was trying to find another way, knowing that they couldn't trust this two. If the warrior let go from his prisoner, then both of them were dead!

"Bumblebee…!" He called out one more time.

"I'm sorry, Knock Out, but I can't…!" The warrior started to say, while reaching for his prisoner's cuffs.

Knock Out desperately growled.

"I know I'm going to regret this…" The Velocitronian muttered, interrupting the police enforcer, right before give his captor a headbutt.

In front of Bumblebee's and Solar Flare's wide eyes, the red mech managed to break free.

"Ouch! That really, really hurt…!" He hissed, massaging the back of his head.

Unfortunately for the Velocitronian mech, Daybreak's astonishment didn't last, reason why the medic found himself dodging a punch.

"Knock Out!" Bumblebee called, while restraining the femme, who was squirming, trying to break free. "Hurry up and get back here!"

Nodding, the red mech started to run towards his partner, dodging the shots he was getting from the cerulean flyer… Until a lucky shot got him in the middle of the back, sending him to the ground, unconscious. Paralyzed, the yellow warrior was unable to fight back when the femme escaped his grasp and called Skywarp to evacuate them and the pod. However, he was fast enough to deploy his own blasters and stop Daybreak, before he could reach his partner.

In an instant, the purple mech appeared, grabbed Solar Flare, the vessel, and disappeared.

Gritting his teeth, Bumblebee decided to forget about the femme and the case, and went to check on Knock Out. He was unconscious, and had a nasty burn on his back, but there was a chance that it wasn't as bad as it looked. Quickly, he called back to base, informing Ratchet about what just happened, and in a split second the ground-bridge opened right next to him. The old medic hurried out of it carrying his medical kit; behind him, Smokescreen and Nightglider appeared.

Ratchet kneeled down next to Knock Out and opened the briefcase after taking a good look of the wound. Meanwhile, the other two, under Ratchet's orders, carried the second victim inside the base, towards the med-bay.

The Velocitronian was priority.

"How is he, Ratch?" Bumblebee asked, worried, watching his friend as he examined the red mech.

"I can't give any further diagnosis without the proper equipment." The old mech said, scanning fof internal damage. "Help me turning him around." Ratchet asked, and the warrior nodded and complied.

The wound wasn't terrible enough to kill the mech; something else must have triggered the emergency stasis. The old medic passed his hands under the Velocitronian who suddenly grunted in pain; only then, the white and orange mech saw that the shoulder joint of Knock Out's left arm was broken and needed immediate repair. "So that's what happened… Too much pain." The older mech thought. Sighing, Ratchet looked at Bumblebee.

"Grab his legs. At the count of three, we pull him up." He ordered, and the yellow bot obeyed. "Ready? One. Two… Now!"

Both mechs lifted the poor red bot who growled in pain as his partners took him towards the med-bay. On the way there, Ratchet asked Arcee to go and retrieve his medical kit; also, he heard an incoming call from Miko, who was asking for a ground-bridge, saying that she was free and wanted to pay a visit. Immediately after, his commlink pinged.

« _Ratchet! Open a ground-bridge! Chromia is down!_ » It was Ironhide's voice.

"Give me a second, we have another wounded one!" While saying this, he looked at the only teenager in the base.

"What happened?!" Arcee asked, after retrieve the medical kit.

"He ran into his sister…" Bumblebee explained.

With a gesture of his head, the old medic indicated Rafael to take care of the control room, while he worked on the wounded mechs. The teenager nodded and took over.

Seconds after making sure that their two wounded mechs were fine, Bumblebee left the medic alone, so he could work at peace; only to get rudely interrupted by Ironhide, who was carrying an unconscious Chromia on his arms. Right. Ratchet forgot that the red warrior called kliks after the former scout. Sighing, the old medic told his old friend to place the femme on a third stretcher, promising to take a look at her, as soon as he was done with Knock Out.

Meanwhile, Elita was trying to explain how she lost Starscream when Thundercracker and Skywarp appeared on his rescue…

* * *

Shockwave was waking up the rescued Constructicons, all but one: Scavenger. Open the pod could be the mech's funeral, but so it was to leave him in there. When Ironhide shot the vessel, he compromised the life-support system; obviously it was part of a desperate move to prevent them from recovering all the targets. Though Elita did better, since she not only defeated Starscream singlehandedly, but, also, distracted the Seeker long enough for her partner to recover the pod. It wasn't good… Not for the scientist at least. He couldn't complete his experiment without _all_ _six_ Constructicons, and, to make it worst, the Autobots took Daybreak prisoner too.

Away from the room where the violet mech was, Starscream was regaining consciousness, next to his Seekers, who explained him the situation. The air commander didn't show sadness nor disappointment about it… In fact, he smiled.

With an element missing and another compromised, Shockwave would be open to hear any possible strategies to fulfill his experimentation, and, turns out, that he knew just the perfect way to recover the missing soldier and save the agonizing one.

Time to make deals arrived.

Getting on his feet, Starscream walked up to the room where the scientist was, next to the Constructicons and Solar Flare, who was pouting with her arms crossed in a corner. Her pride was sored after the fight she had with her brother, who would've defeated her if it wasn't for Daybreak's arrival. "You've learnt how to fight, baby brother… I didn't expect that…" She thought, grunting. Without her bodyguard, there were big chances that, in their next meeting, she would be taken prisoner of the 'Bots…

The sudden appearance of the silver grey Seeker called everyone's attention.

Slyly smiling, the air commander folded his hands behind his back and walked up to Shockwave.

"My Seekers just told me what happened. It seems that, now, you require our help more than ever, am I correct?" He said with a hint of pleasure on his voice.

Behind him, Solar Flare scoffed.

"Look who's talking, commander. From all of us, you're the one who managed to lose your assigned pod!" She reminded him, glaring.

Trying to remain calm, the grey flyer looked at her from above his shoulder while arching an eyebrow.

"It's not strange that I failed my mission, considering that I ended up fighting Elita-One; the only Autobot who was an equal to Optimus Prime's fighting skills." He retorted. Then, he turned to look at her. "Though, I am curious of why she was alive, when I clearly remember that Lord Megatron was told about her termination."

"I was entrusted with her interrogation." Shockwave interrupted Solar Flare, before she could say anything. "She refused to talk, no matter what I did to her; so I disposed of her in the most logical way."

"Experimentation subject, huh?" The Seeker mused out loud, now looking at the scientist who nodded. "Well, it hardly matters now whether you fulfilled Megatron's wishes or not…" He sighed, pretending to relax, pretending he didn't care why he did what he did. In order to achieve his desires, he needed the scientist, and, fortunately, Shockwave needed _him_. Smirking, Starscream decided to get down to businesses. "However, it appears that now it is _your_ man the one who requires medical attention, isn't it?"

"Talk clear, Screamer! What you want?!" Scrapper demanded, knowing where this conversation was going.

"My Seekers happens to know how to reach for the good doctor, and force him to surrender himself and the pod." The commander stated, while walking closer to Shockwave. "So, here's my offer: I will deliver you the means for you to finish your experiments, but, in exchange, you will use it to help me achieve the complete control of Cybertron, as its unquestionable ruler."

Shockwave, for a minute, remained silent, inspecting the Seeker. He was analyzing the offer. He had no interest in rule Cybertron, he already experienced the politician's life, and wasn't interested in relive it. His main problem as scientist was that his methods were illegal, meaning that he couldn't work on his researches on his home planet's soil. But… if Starscream was to be king… The Seeker was easy to manipulate…

Surprisingly to everyone, except for the grey flyer, Shockwave accepted the offer.

It pleased the Seekers… except for one.

Deep inside, Thundercracker was starting to wonder whether this campaign was worth it…

* * *

 **Well, this is all for now. I'll be back either this weekend, or next week.**

 **And, remember, if there's anything that's bothering you, just tell me. Ok? The last thing I want is to make anybody uncomfortable...**

 **Bye.**


	31. THIRTY: An Old Promise

**Hello, guys! How're you doing?**

 **Seeker3** **:**

 **Sorry I hurt Scavvie, but don't worry, his part in this story isn't over yet! Though I didn't thought of which Constructicon wast taken by the Autobots... Um... Long Haul or Hook, perhaps? After all, without those two, it would be useless to have the rest of the crew... Sorry; it's just that I made the 'Bots recover one of the pods with something else in mind... You'll see ;)**

 **Turtle-Tastic3000** **:**

 **Thanks for your corrections! I didn't realized that I wrote it wrong (irregular verbs, my most feared enemy...). Don't worry, I found them useful! Thank you very much! And thanks for your kind words about the story! I try my best to give all the characters an equivalent treatment, although it sometimes gives me a headache, as the number keeps growing... *Looks at the chapter she's writing* And growing... The number of characters and side parts is multiplying faster than rabbits. But, again, I got myself into this, so I will find the way to make it work.**

 **Gst** **:**

 **Don't worry; as I said, I chose Knock Out because I saw the possibility of a good story behind the character when he said "I never had the best role-models", plus the fact that he was the only one in openly switch sides (also, he was a good comical relief in the show, which is why I started to like him...). And, about Solar Flare, yes. Something bad happened that night...**

 ***Suddenly, a hand snatches the computer* What the...?! Hey! Ultra Magnus give it back! I need that thing!**

 **Ultra Magnus: I just want to correct this person about what the proper procedure whenever someone runs into an abandoned spaceship is.**

 **You do realize that it was a joke, right? *The bot blinks blanky* I should've known you don't... *Sighs and takes back the computer* Let's keep going with the story, while I explain what a joke is to Mr. Personality... again...**

 **Warning: English isn't my mother language, so there might be some grammar mistakes in here. Sorry.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own** ** _Transformers_** **franchise, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark from Hasbro.**

* * *

 **THIRTY: An Old Promise**

The whole team was tired, reason why Fowler offered to take the boys home, so Bumblebee and the others could catch some sleep. There was no objection from the teenagers, and even Miko agreed to leave without spending much time with Bulkhead, who let her hug his right hand while saying good bye. The Japanese girl promised to return next morning, and walked through the ground-bridge.

The team then, returned to their quarters (Nightglider was assigned one) to recharge. Bumblebee, however, first decided to check on Knock Out, who was still in stasis. "Please be okay…" He silently wished before leave the med-bay towards his room, while remembering the events that took place since he offered to watch over the red medic during his parole. Back then, he thought that it would be a simple task. Knock Out wasn't a really troublesome Decepticon, and, even if he tried to escape, he had defeated him in the past, so, he guessed, it wouldn't be a real challenge… Then he got to meet him, and discovered that Megatron's medic was everything but the guy he believed to know. Yes, he was a little narcissistic; but, what he truly hated was to be taken for a fool. He was sensitive, as they found out when Nightglider told them about his friendship with the medic, and why he joined the Decepticon army in order to avenge a friend…

Meanwhile, Elita was already lying down on her berth, trying to ignore a strange itch that was bothering her spark-chamber. Normally, she would've told Ratchet about it, but…

Sighing, she rolled until she was lying over her right side, and decided not to tell anybody. Besides, what good would that do? Whatever Shockwave did to her it was done. The femmes' leader tried for so long to forget those solar-cycles as a prisoner from that cyclops that she finally gave up when she noticed that the nightmares wouldn't go away. They were part of her for the rest of her life. The only thing she regretted was that, despite of had escaped, of being with the Autobots again, he wasn't there anymore… Elita was trying to be a good substitute for the team's welfare, but…

Suddenly, a pang of pain made her grunt and sit up, opening her chest-plates, and her spark-chamber. Everything seemed to be okay… But this feeling… Something was off. Arching an eyebrow, she closed her chest and lied down once more. Maybe she would feel better after recharge.

* * *

 _It was late night, the whole place was seized with runaway gladiators, and the warehouses were being robbed. All this was taking place in front of the impotent eyes of the two-wheeler femme, whose job was to keep everything on check… But what could she, a laborer, do against a whole army of Kaonians?_

 _The pink bot tried to stop the thieves, but all she got was a punch in the face from the most unsuspected attacker…_

 _"Megatronus?" She asked, still on the floor, and massaging her sored face-plate with a hand. "What are you doing…? Are you insane?! This isn't the right way!" She yelled, getting up._

 _He snarled and rose his cannon, aiming at her chest._

 _Her eyes widened in horror at the vision of the weapon warming up._

 _"You sound just like him…" The former gladiator muttered…_

 _Then he shot._

* * *

Elita jerked up on her berth and frantically looked around, scanning her surroundings, until she realized that it was safe. It was nothing more but a memory… Everything was fine. Nobody was there to hurt her. Sighing, and dropping herself again on the metallic bunk, the femme covered her face with her hands, fighting a sob that wanted to get out.

That was the last night that she was known as Ariel… The night when Megatron tried to…

Slowly, she slid her legs off the berth and sat up. Opening her chest-plates, the femme glimpsed her spark-chamber and bit her lip. Then, she slowly opened it as well. There was her spark, as pink and bright as usual, though surrounded with that strange energy that emanated from the thing that Shockwave installed inside of her body when he kept her prisoner. Maybe the unpleasant sensations that she was having lately were a side-effect of whatever that cyclops put in her? No… It was something else. Elita didn't know how she was so sure of it, but she just knew it.

No experiment in this world could make her feel so restless… Something else was going on, and she needed to know what.

The only bot who could help her finding out the truth of what sort of mad science was used on her was Ratchet, so she got out of her quarters and went to ask her friend for a medical check. However, she couldn't find the medic in his own room. "Don't tell me that he's still…" She thought, while walking towards the control room, where, in effect, the old mech was typing something into the mainframe's keyboard.

"It's past your bedtime." Elita mocked the medic, who chuckled, recognizing her voice. Ratchet turned around to look at her with a smirk on the lips. The femme walked up to him and placed her hands on the sides of her hip. "What're you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same, Elita. You should be recharging after today events." He retorted, crossing his arms and getting serious all of the sudden.

"Can't do it." The femme admitted, dropping her arms and erasing her smile.

"Is something the matter?" Before she could even ask, he was running a scan on her.

"My chest… For a couple days now I've been feeling… an itch. I don't know what it is, nor where it is exactly. I just know that it's bothering me… a lot." She confessed, while placing both her hands on her chest-plates.

A little worried, Ratchet took her to the medical bay for further analysis, despite that his preliminary scan didn't show anything unusual. But, maybe, a more complete check was required. However, the femme couldn't help but stop to look at the red mech who was yet under stasis lock, recovering from his wounds.

"Please lie on here." The raspy voice of Ratchet made her return to reality, where the medic was tapping a stretcher that was connected to a medical scanner. Nodding, she lied down on it, and patiently waited until the artifact finished. "By the AllSpark!" The medic yelped at the diagnosis, before look at his patient with wide eyes.

Elita averted hers.

"Now you know…" She said.

"What…? You… You knew that this was there, and you didn't say a word?"

The scan showed that there was some sort of trinket connected to Elita's power core. It was firmly attached to her spark-chamber, and extended all along her Energon tubes. It was literary everywhere. It took a minute or two for Ratchet to understand how and when it happened: when Ironhide and the femmes were left behind by the _Ark_ , and were taken prisoners. She must've been interrogated by the 'Cons, and, after refuse talking, they must've used her to experimentation.

In horror, Ratchet's jaw dropped as he covered his mouth with his hand.

In all his years as a medic, he never saw anything alike. This was pure and flat evilness. He could not even understand how comes that this femme was still alive… Almost hyperventilating, he started to run some diagnosis and theories of how to remove the trinket; but none of them seemed to be effective. He just couldn't take it out of his friend.

"I… I'm sorry, but… it seems that if I try to take it out of you…" He didn't finished the sentence.

"I guessed that much, yet I wanted to have a second opinion." Elita said, while sitting up and sliding her legs off the stretcher. "Thanks, Ratchet." She added with a smile.

"I'm really sorry… Ariel."

Ariel.

She couldn't remember the last time she was called with that designation, though she clearly remembered who used to keep naming her with it…

Bitterly chuckling, the femme said that it was alright; that all she wanted was a diagnosis, nothing else.

However, Ratchet was about to say something when a beeping coming from the control room interrupted him: the decryption was finished.

* * *

Knock Out woke up in Ratchet's medical bay, with an awful pain on his torso, and his left arm bandaged, trapped inside of a trinket designed to prevent movement. The memories of his battle with his sister returned to his mind, and the medic suddenly felt tired…

Grunting, he disconnected himself from the medical equipment, and tried to get up. Of course it set off some alarms, and, in five seconds, Ratchet was inside the medical bay, running scans over him, making sure he was ok. After the third of fourth diagnosis, the older medic decided that Knock Out was good enough to walk around; however, he would remain inside the base until he fully recovered. The Velocitronian had no objections with it…

But he was curious about one thing: under normal circumstances Ratchet would have never allowed a patient to get out of observation without have fully healed. Something happened during his time out, and it seemed to be something serious, since the whole place was in deep silence. Where was everybody? As he walked out of the med-bay, the red mech found the kids, Agent Fowler, and the whole team, reading something in great concern. Knock Out arched an eyebrow, and cocked his head, right when the other medic came from behind and invited him to approach the team.

As they walked closer, the other bots turned to look at the former Decepticon, worried for his wounds. It was something he wasn't fully used to yet… Concern. The unquestionable worry for a teammate. Besides Breakdown, nobody in the Decepticon army ever worried for him. Not even their leader, Megatron, who was well-aware of him being the only medic onboard the _Nemesis_. It warmed his spark to know that the team worried for him.

In no time, Bumblebee walked up to him, and patted his right shoulder, while smiling.

"I'm glad you made it." He said. "But, if you ever think of doing something like that again, _I'm_ going to shoot you! Understood?!" He quickly added, glaring and pointing at the medic's face with his index. His left hand still resting on the other mech's shoulder.

The whole team chuckled behind the yellow bot. Even Knock Out laughed, and shook his head, closing his eyes.

"Whatever you say, officer." The red medic said, smirking and faking a salute, which he finished with a wink.

Bumblebee relaxed, and let go from the former 'Con. Everything was ok. Unfortunately, there wasn't time to celebrate that they all survived; as soon as Knock Out saw the screens, he immediately asked if the decryption was finished, and walked up to the mainframe.

"It is… well, for the part that we have." Ratchet said.

"We haven't read it completely yet, only the hypothesis." Elita completed.

Humming, the red medic nodded, and started to quickly read the paragraphs, until his eyes widened in pure horror.

"By Primus's sake! Shockwave has gone completely insane!" The Velocitronian yelled.

"And again with that face… Would anybody mind to translate the file to the humans over here?!" Fowler complained. Apparently nobody has explained the document's content to them yet.

"It speaks of an old theory born during the war. However, it never worked…" Ironhide told the Agent. "At least, as far as _we_ know." He quickly added, shrugging to stress that he didn't have a clue whether it could work or not, only that, during his time in service, it was a complete and utter failure.

"It _doesn't_ work! Okay?!" Knock Out shouted, snapping at the weapons specialist, while gesticulating angrily. "Last time that the cyclops tried to pass from theory to practice, all the volunteers died! The project was discarded and put to sleep!"

The humans exchanged a quizzical look.

"Huh… What project?" Jack asked.

"It was called _Project Combiner_. The idea, as far as we understand, was to create an army of one man." Ratchet calmly explained. "However, as Knock Out has pointed, it never actually worked…"

"An army of one man? You mean, like a super-soldier, or something like that?" Rafael wondered.

"Woah… Decepti-Captain America." Miko muttered in the background, receiving a smack from Jack, who didn't approve the comment.

"Yes… and no…" The red medic said, answering to the youngest boy's question. "The idea was to take a team of soldiers that were used to work together, and combine them into the ultimate weapon. A soldier that contained the battle knowledge of its parts, and more firepower than any other combatant." He explained.

"That doesn't sounds good…" Rafael said in horror.

"But, you said the plan failed and Megatron discarded it. What happened?" Fowler asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Shockwave's lack in anatomy knowledge happened. The idiot didn't considered a really basic matter: our bodies are designed to burn an amount of fuel per hour, thing that that mad scientist didn't seem to remember when he came up with this." The Velocitronian explained to the man. Then he sighed, shaking his head. "The moment the volunteers combined their bodies… They burned inside out, since their bodies consumed all their Energon within seconds. Seeing this, Megatron called the project a failure. He didn't want to waste any more soldiers." Then, his optics flickered with a new light, realizing why the Constructicons were named in the file. "Ugh! I'm such a scrap-head!" He grunted, while going back to the mainframe.

"Well, I'm not arguing that…" Wheeljack mocked him in the background with a smirk, while crossing his arms and shrugging.

"That's why they were rescuing the Constructicons! They must've been one of the volunteering teams! I bet that if I…" Knock Out typed something, and, almost immediately, the blueprint of a ginormous Cybertronian was displayed on the screen.

"By the AllSpark…" Ratchet heavily breathed. "Is that a…?"

"Combiner…" The Velocitronian completed, while taking a step back in horror. "The son of a glitch made it… He completed one."

The weapon they were looking for… was no weapon in the end…

* * *

June Darby was at Millie's room, monitoring the girl's heartbeat, and her serum supplies. Her head was much better, so she took off the bandages.

"So, tomorrow is the big day, huh?" The nurse commented, while checking the patient's throat. Everything seemed okay. "Excited to meet the team?" She asked, while filling a formulary.

"How many are there?" Millie wondered with a bright smile.

"Many!" The woman said cheerfully, while walking away from the bed, to open the window. "You have Ratchet, Arcee, Bumblebee, Bulkhead, Wheeljack…"

"Do you think they will… like me?" The girl suddenly asked, shyly looking at her hands that were lying on top of her lap, instead of the nurse.

June looked at her surprised. Was she nervous? How comes? This little girl was so calm when talking with a former Decepticon, that she thought that nothing in the world would ever scare her. But, again, Knock Out was the only Cybertronian she knew this far, and he wasn't an Autobot when they became friends. Maybe, her fear came from the fact that her friend was an enemy before…

Motherly smiling, the woman went to sit at the bed's border.

"Oh, sweetie… I assure you: they will _love_ you." She said, taking the child's hands.

"Really?" Millie wondered, arching an eyebrow.

"Of course! Look: my son is one of their human friends, and there're another two kids, Miko and Rafael. They have been friends with the bots for over two years now, they are part of the family! You will see. They will welcome you with open arms."

The little girl smiled back and lowered her gaze. All she wanted was to see her friend again, but, also, hoped to be liked by the others. According to what he told her, his freedom depended on this persons, so she really wanted to help; and, if all she could do was show them that Knock Out was a good person through the friendship they shared, then so be it.

June, then, got up and excused herself as she walked out of the room to go with another patient. The more she thought about Millie joining the team, the more she liked the idea. That girl would be cherished by the Autobots and the other children; so, as far as she could guess, the team would become her family. Despite it made her happy, the thought made her sigh… If she only could, the nurse knew that she would have adopted that girl already. Jack wouldn't have minded to have her as sister, but she wasn't capable of it…

The sudden noise of an explosion and the ringing noise of the fire alarm made June stop on her tracks. It came from one of the rooms behind her.

"Millie!" Suspecting what happened, the nurse ran back towards the girl's room.

* * *

Fowler was back on his office, letting the bots plan their next move by their own, while he handled his superiors at the Pentagon. They needed to know that a crazy Decepticon scientist was probably planning to unleash an army of impossibly giant Cybertronians on Earth… Yes, this would be hard to explain to Bryce…

Suddenly, his personal cellphone started to ring. It was June Darby. Since his superiors weren't answering the call, he decided to center his attention in the nurse. He picked up.

"June? What's wrong?" He asked, knowing that if Jack mother was calling him instead of her son it was because something terrible just happened. As the woman started to explain the recent events to him, the agent's eyes widened, and his jaw dropped. "They did **_what_**?!" He shouted, while jumping off his chair. "No, no. Stay where you are. I'll tell the bots." He said, hanging up the call. Once nobody could hear him, the man sighed and massaged his temples. "How am I supposed to say this to him…?" He wondered, before walk out of the office.

Outside, he found Ratchet and Knock Out working on the Decepticon's research, trying to find out how to defeat this Combiners, in case that Shockwave managed to replace the missing Constructicon. Unfortunately, the fact that they only had a part of the document wasn't helping. All they knew was that the scientist found how to solve the problems that made the experiment be considered a failure on first instance; but, they didn't have a way to know what the solution was, since Shockwave depicted it on the fifteen percent of the research that they didn't have… The red mech asked why not to call back to Cybertron and ask Prowl to send over a copy of the document, after all, they knew that he had one; but Bumblebee reminded him that the Council was investigating him. Any attempt to contact them could end up with the cop incarcerated.

Sighing, it seemed that their only option was to deduce what the solution was. However, and despite of have been a Decepticon for over two million years, Knock Out was finding this mission rather challenging. He always considered that cyclops a mad scientist (who in his sane mind would revive a predacon?), but, now that he had access to his former colleague's notes, the Velocitronian had to admit that the guy was a genius. A sadistic, immoral, and monstrous genius. The corrections that he was able to download were really advanced, and it proved that he had a medic advising him during the process. "Trial and error… The typical scientific way." Knock Out thought, while reading the paragraph in which Shockwave admitted to have discovered how that, in order to allow the Combiner's parts to have a vehicle mode, the volunteers required to be Triple Changers. "This notes… Someone was helping him. A medic, no doubt. But, who? There weren't many Decepticon medics, and most of them were all in the outposts…" The red mech kept thinking, as he read how the chief scientist ordered to replace the Constructicons' and the Combaticons' T-cogs, in order to make them Triple Changers… and he knew that there was only _one_ way to receive so many organs…

Fowler's voice made him come back to reality.

"Call the team. I have bad news…" The man said, gaining the medics' and the children's attention.

Within five minutes, all the Autobots were in the control room, ready to listen what the governmental agent had to say. He dedicated a quick glance at Knock Out before scratch his head, looking for words.

"The hospital has been attacked." He said, bluntly, making all the bots panic, while Jack immediately reached for his cellphone to call his mother. "Nobody got hurt, and your mother is fine, Jack." Fowler hurried to say, seeing the reactions. "However… There's one patient missing…"

As the black man's eyes fell on him, the Velocitronian started to stumble a couple steps back, while shaking his head in denial.

"No… Please, no…" He mumbled.

William Fowler looked down, ashamed.

"I'm sorry, doc. But… June found the wall broken and… Millie was gone…" He admitted.

"Oh, no." Miko gasped, while covering her mouth with her hands.

"It must have been the Seekers!" Smokescreen commented, while clenching his fists.

"But, why would they risk to show themselves in plain daylight?" Bulkhead wondered out loud.

"Because…" Bumblebee said, calmly, while looking towards the med-bay where they hid the pod. "…we have something they want." He explained.

"So, they're planning an exchange? It means that they will keep her alive, right?" Rafael, asked at his partner, who nodded.

"If that's the case, we must ready ourselves for a message from Shockwave, or one of his associates, asking the Constructicon as ransom for the girl." Ratchet pointed out, as calmly as he could.

The arguing kept going, but Knock Out wasn't capable of listening it. All he could think about was of how he spent the last two years hiding this girl's existence, hoping to keep her safe; and, yet, his past found a way to reach her anyway. It was only then when a very dangerous and alarming thought popped up in his mind: Solar Flare, who hated him to the deepest part of her soul, was among the 'Cons who hijacked the child. What would she do to Millie? Or, better said, what _wouldn't_ she do to the girl in order to hurt him?! He needed to find a way to get her out of there! "Maybe… If I find Shockwave's lair's location…" Thinking this, the red medic looked at the medical bay, at the stretcher where Daybreak was being kept in stasis lock and strapped down.

A wave of pure hate swirled inside of his chest, as he felt his Energon boiling up. Not really thinking, Knock Out yanked Bumblebee out of the arguing group by the arm. The yellow mech looked at him with questioning eyes; behind him, the rest of the team also stopped talking, and were looking at him expectantly.

"Give me five minutes with Daybreak." The Velocitronian snarled.

Knowing the real meaning behind those words, the law enforcer shook his head.

"Knock Out, you know I can't allow it." He said.

"Please, just…"

"No!" This time, it was Ratchet the one who refused the implied idea. "If you do it, your probation will be severely affected! Primus! You might go back to jail, or worse!" He added.

"They're right. There must be another way." Arcee said, trying to think about other possibilities.

"By the time you come up with a back-up plan, Millie could be already dead!" The surgeon, yelled, frowning in rage. "Daybreak has been inside of Shockwave's lair, he may know where it is!"

"Then we interrogate him! The right way!" Ironhide stated, gesturing to stress.

Knock Out laughed bitterly, while rolling his eyes.

"Am I the only one who remembers that he betrayed his own brother?! Do you honestly think he will fear a normal interrogatory?!" The red medic retorted. Then, he looked at Bumblebee. "Look, we don't have time to play nice with him… Millie's life is at stake, and we don't have the last idea of where they're holding her, nor how to defeat this monstrosity that Shockwave is planning to create!"

The mech was losing self-control by the second, his eyes were also starting to show lack of focus. His levels of stress were out of the graphics. Elita decided that it was time to try to settle the waters.

"Knock Out." She called, walking closer to the mech. "I understand you. I really do. But, unless you wish to go back to be the person you hate, I suggest you to allow us to do our job."

"You can be part of the interrogation, though… If you want." Smokescreen added.

It wasn't good enough for him, but he knew that he would never forgive himself, if he happened to lose his second chance because of that glitch-head. So, taking a deep breath, the red mech nodded, and promised to behave.

Daybreak started to online his optics, feeling like there was a heavy fog clouding his thoughts. He knew this sensation very well… He has been kept on stasis for a while. Groaning and blinking to regain focus, the flyer soon noticed that he was strapped down to the stretcher he was on. Though knowing that it was highly improbable for him to untie himself, the instinct of try to break the wristbands was stronger.

"Hello, Daybreak."

Unsurprisingly, Knock Out was standing next to him. However, his wrapped arm made him smirk, knowing that it was his doing. The red mech simply looked at his wound, then back at the flyer.

"Yes, you hurt me. Congratulations for getting yourself on the list of persons who did it…" The surgeon said, sarcastic, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, I know the list is long. Solar told me about it." The cerulean mech commented.

At the mention of his sister, Knock Out's left eye twitched, and he would have pounced onto the prisoner, if it wasn't for Bumblebee's hand. The young warrior reassured him, making sure that the medic didn't do anything stupid… The Velocitronian took a deep vent to calm down.

Then, Ironhide took the lead and walked up to the traitor.

"So, your twin and Knock Out has told us about you." He said, while snapping his fingers, and stretching his neck. "They said that you wouldn't talk under a normal interrogatory circumstances. Unfortunately, for you…" He slammed the stretcher, right next to Daybreak's head. "I believe them." The red bulky mech growled, with his face inches away from the traitor's one.

Nightglider saw his brother trembling in pure fear, and couldn't help but chuckle, almost sure that the cerulean twin must've leaked some transmission fluid there. But, regardless of the panic attack that he was about to have, Daybreak refused to talk, no matter what they did or said; and it wasn't good, because Knock Out was becoming more and more restless by the second.

Seeing this, Elita suggested Bumblebee to take the red medic out of the room, but the warrior assured her that there was nothing to fear. The Velocitronian might have a temper, but he knew how to keep it on check. Somehow, the femme didn't completely believed the yellow mech, reason why she simply arched an eyebrow, looking at the former Decepticon. Then, she glanced at their prisoner, who kept mocking them. "If not even Ironhide can make him talk… Then what would scare him enough?" She wondered. Deep inside the pink bot found herself wishing that Optimus were still there… Maybe he would know what to do, and how to do it.

"Enough of games, traitor! Where's Shockwave's lair?! What does he want?!" The red warrior tried once again.

Daybreak simply smirked and rolled his eyes. He wasn't going to spill the beans…

"Ugh! We've been doing this for fifteen minutes already!" Knock Out cried in rage. "I say we punch the answers out of him!" He proposed, his eyes sporting a whole new shade of red.

"Stand down, Knock Out." Elita warned him.

"I hate to admit it, but maybe Golden Rims has a point there…" Wheeljack commented. "I mean, nothing has worked." He added with a shrug.

"I refuse to lower myself to the level of a Decepticon interrogator. What about you, soldier?" The pink femme retorted.

"But…!"

"No 'buts'." Elita interrupted the Velocitronian. "We do this the right way, or we don't do it at all. Am I being clear?" She asked, frowning deeply.

Knock Out averted his optics. Yes. It was clear.

Suddenly the prisoner chortled, gaining everyone's attention.

"Well! Good to see that some things hasn't change!" Daybreak said, still chuckling. "I heard the stories from Starscream and the others, about how you served to Megatron." He said, looking at the red medic. Then, he looked from Elita to the Velocitronian with a sly smirk on the lips. "Now I know just how pathetic you looked back then."

The medic's Energon started to boil at this last comment, but it was the next one what really ticked him off…

"And to think that Sun liked you better than us." He chuckled. "Now _that_ was a joke…"

Gritting his teeth, the red mech took one step towards the stretcher, not even noticing that his good arm transformed into his buzz saw; but he was quickly intercepted by Bumblebee.

"Woah! Easy there, tiger." He said, while patting the former 'Con on the shoulder.

"Bumblebee, you have exactly five nanokliks to let go, or you _will_ lose your arm…" Knock Out snarled, briefly glancing at the warrior, before fix his eyes onto the traitor again.

"Take him out of here. This time, I'm not asking." Elita ordered at the scene, pointing at the door.

With a nod, the police enforcer proceeded to drag the medic out of the med-bay; however, as soon as Daybreak opened his mouth again, Knock Out broke free and charged against the traitor. This time, Smokescreen grabbed him, and put all his weight to work, trying to keep the pissed off mech away from their prisoner. In the end, Ironhide's help was needed.

Finally, after a lot of struggle, the Autobots managed to push Knock Out out of the room and close the door; though the Velocitronian got a promise from the Wreckers who said that they would punch the bastard a few times in Sunscorch's name for him. Then, the glass wall went dark in front of his eyes. Only Bumblebee and the three children were with him now.

"So…" Jack started, scratching the back of his head. After the scene that the medic made in there, what was he supposed to say?

Knock Out snorted and started to walk down the hallway.

"Hey, where are you…?!"

"I'm taking a shower." The red mech interrupted Bumblebee. "If that's alright with you, _officer_." He added, rudely, stopping and turning to look at him, before resume his march.

"Wow… What crawled up Doc-Knock's tailpipe?" Miko asked, arching an eyebrow.

"I'm… not sure." Bumblebee admitted, looking at the girl.

... ... ...

Inside the med-bay, the Autobots were running out of ideas. Nothing seemed to be enough to make the flyer talk… "We're approaching this the wrong way…" Elita thought, while eyeing the traitor. She didn't want to lower herself to the Decepticons' level, but… Well, she was running out of ideas.

... ... ...

Bumblebee and the children went after Knock Out, to his quarters. All of them wanted to know what happened back at the med-bay; because, it doesn't matter how good friends he and the Wrecker were, his response to Daybreak's taunt was a little overreacted. The room's door was locked, so the yellow mech had to knock multiple times, before the medic decided to open. He was yet covered in oil, and was holding a large towel on his right hand. Nobody had to ask: he did took a shower to cool down…

"Wanna talk about what happened back there?" Bumblebee asked, crossing his arms.

"Not really…" Knock Out answered, looking away, and drying his face. He was still pissed.

"You are jeopardizing your position in this base, so you better come up with a good explanation!" The warrior told him, frowning.

But the only answer he had was silence, as the medic refused to look at him.

Only then Jack came up with something that would explain why Knock Out was so sensitive to the mentions of that femme. The bot's body language was very clear, but mention it could put him in the Velocitronian's bad side… forever. But it could also help him, because it would explain his recent behavior. Sighing, knowing that there was a big chance for him to lose his head for what he was about to say out loud, the teenager took the risk, and, patting Bumblebee's leg to ask him to give him a chance to talk, the boy walked up to the red mech.

"Sunscorch wasn't _just_ your friend, was she?" He wondered with an apologetic face.

Everyone's eyes widened at the question, including the Velocitronian's, who, feeling cornered, averted his optics. The sadness took over his gesture, giving everyone the answer to that query: it was a big, undeniable, yes. Seeing this, Jack lowered his eyes.

"I'm sorry." He said.

And, then, unexpectedly… Knock Out broke.

"For over two million years I thought…" The medic shook his head, not wanting to say it. His optics were closed. "I… When Nightglider was found, I… I refused to believe it. I waited for hours, hoping that someone would appear dragging her into the clinic, but…" Sighing, he opened his eyes, and looked at Bumblebee and the children, Jack in specific. "Finally, when I knew that Daybreak was the responsible one for her termination, I drowned in my own hate. And you all know where I ended thanks to it…" He commented, rolling his eyes.

"The 'Cons." Miko muttered.

The Velocitronian nodded.

"Breakdown tried to talk me out of it, but I didn't listen." Then, he massaged his injured arm. "I wish I would have… Maybe, that way, he would still be here."

"But, why didn't you tried to escape?" Rafael asked.

"Who says I didn't? But there weren't many medics among Megatron's ranks, I was a valuable asset at the time." Then, Knock Out went back to Bumblebee. "I did what I had to, in order to survive."

The yellow mech was speechless at the medic's words. He couldn't believe that Jack managed to get the medic to confess something like this. Sighing, he averted his optics, realizing why he refused to tell him why he joined the Decepticons when he asked him so long ago. It _was_ a very personal topic; no wonder he didn't want to talk about it with the cop in charge of watch over him. Although, he was glad that he decided to share this story with him and the kids. It explained his behavior around Daybreak…

And speaking about the traitor…

Frowning, Bumblebee started to walk away, towards the med-bay.

Knock Out, seeing this, arched an eyebrow.

"Huh… Where are you going?" He asked.

"I'm going to get some answers." It was the only answer the medic had, before the warrior disappeared from view.

The Velocitronian, fearing what the young bot was planning to do, exchanged a quick glance with the children, before go after the Autobot.

"Stay here, kids." He said, while leaving.

Miko and Rafael walked up to Jack, the three of them had an arched eyebrow, wide eyes and their jaws dropped.

"Did he just…?" The younger boy asked, cocking his head to the left.

"I think so." Jack said, shrugging, not sure of what just happened.

"Ha! I knew he would come to like us!" The Japanese girl finally said, triumphantly.

When Bumblebee returned to the med-bay, he found all the team outside. Apparently Daybreak wasn't talking; and, considering Elita's and Ironhide's look, they were starting to consider less friendly methods… "Well, let's see if my plan works." The yellow mech thought, while approaching the group, asking them to give him a chance to interrogate the prisoner.

Knock Out appeared right at that moment, earning a few glares from the pink femme and the red warrior. The law enforcer, as soon as he noticed this, eased his friends, saying that none of this was the medic's idea but his own.

"And… what exactly do you think that will make this guy talk? Because he doesn't even blinked an eye when Bulk and I threatened him with using our fists…" Wheeljack asked.

"I have the thruth." Bumblebee said, smiling confidently.

The team simply arched an eyebrow and shared a quizzical look.

"Um…" Knock Out walked up to the yellow bot. "What 'truth'?"

"What? You're not the _only_ one here who refuses to talk about his personal life." He hinted with a blink.

Understanding the reference, the Velocitronian stiffed in surprise before frown deeply and grit his denta until it screeched.

"That… slagger son of a…" The medic hissed. Then, he turned to look at Ironhide. "You! Big guy! You better keep me out of that room before I decide to do something _really_ stupid to your prisoner!" He said with a murderous gaze that called everyone's attention.

"Um… Hey, kid." The startled bulky warrior said, glancing from the medic to the former scout and back. "What exactly is going on?"

"You'll see." That said, Bumblebee entered the room where the flyer was being kept.

The traitor lifted his head to see who was coming, and smiled when he saw the yellow warrior, believing that it was sign of the Aubotots running completely out of ideas. Chuckling, he moked the newcomer, asking out loud if they were finally giving up; but Bumblebee simply smirked and crossed his arms, while resting against one of the large keyboards.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I simply came here to talk." The young bot said. "Though, I think you're an idiot… After all, who does all this for a Decepticon chick?"

Understanding what Bumblebee meant by 'truth', Elita looked back at the Velocitronian, and told Ironhide to restrain the medic. Knock Out, far from putting resistance, offered his good arm to the warrior; after all, the femme wasn't the only one fearing what he would do to that bastard for messing with his sister…

"I don't know what you're talking about." Daybreak growled, averting his eyes while frowning.

"Really? Because your body language betrayed you. Big time." Bumblebee chuckled, pushing himself off the keyboard's edge. "Look, I understand: you like Solar Flare. I get it. But, going from there, to betray your own team? Now, there's where you lost me…" The prisoner kept looking away, not commenting, nor bothering himself to deny what the warrior was saying. "But, I will try to guess: probably, she made you believe that if you helped her, then you two would be together. There's a chance that you didn't know that she meant that you would have to actually attack your own partners, but…"

"Shut up! You know nothing!"

"Oh, I don't? Let's see: you were told to stop your team before they reached Kaon's walls, but you couldn't finish the job because the beacon of your twin went active. So, with the rescue team on its way, and with Nightglider knowing what happened, you took Sunscorch as a life ensureance. After all, that was the only reason for you to take the Wrecker with you, right? To shield yourself behind her." The flyer glared at the warrior, but said nothing. "You risked your neck for that femme, but you honestly think she would do the same for you?"

Elita heard all this from the doorframe. If it was true, then that guy would never talk. "Unless… someone shows him how the Decepticons thinks." She thought, while looking back at the red medic. Sighing, she told Ironhide to let go from him.

Both mechs arched an eyebrow and exchanged a quizzical look at this.

"Um… You sure?" The bulky warrior asked.

"Bumblebee may be on the right track, but he can't break that traitor by his own." Then, the femme looked at the Velocitronian. "You know your sister better than anybody. Can you help him?"

"Help him? Help him how?" Arcee asked, not understanding.

"Showing our guest the Decepticons' true nature."

Both mechs were surprised when Knock Out entered the med-bay, followed by Nightglider, and some members of Team Prime. Bumblebee thought that they would give him some more minutes alone with the prisoner, but he decided to trust his friends, and allowed the red medic to walk up to Daybreak. The cerulean bot, unamused as always, simply smirked at the newcomer, not expecting much.

Knock Out sighed. He never was the greatest Decepticon of all… But, maybe, he would be able to convince this guy to talk.

"Daybreak, please tell us where Shockwave is." He said, slowly, trying to keep his voice low and easy.

"Or what? I doubt you'll go all 'Doctor of Doom' on me, considering the amount of Autobots around here…" The flyer snarled, scanning the group.

"No, I won't. But Bumblebee is a law enforcer, and he _will_ arrest youw when this is over. If you tell us where the lab is, we might be able to put you in isolation." The medic said. "It's better than stasis."

The cerulean mech didn't answer.

"Look, I know what you're thinking; but she's not coming. The 'Cons doesn't rescue their men when they're captured." Knock Out said, calmly, before sigh again. "She won't rescue you, Daybreak…"

"That's not true!" The flyer suddenly yelled.

"Oh, please! You're lying to yourself and you know it!" The Velocitronian grunted, rolling his eyes. "She's not coming, because she doesn't care about you! Can't you see it?! She was just using you!"

The prisoner didn't want to listen.

"You know that what I say it's true, because, deep inside, you've seen the signs…" Knock Out kept going. "After all, even with two million years of believing that Sunscorch was terminated, as soon as I knew she was still alive, I decided to do whatever is in my power to save her. Because I still love her." At that confession, the whole team's jaws dropped. "But she's not planning your rescue, because she never saw you as her partner. She picked you up to have eyes and ears inside the Autobots lines… Or did you ever talked aobut anything else but the war? What do you know about her, about the real her?"

A moment or two passed in silence. But, finally, the cerulean flyer sighed; his optics showed that he was feeling the weight of the medic's words.

"I… don't know where the lab is. We always used the groundbridge, so I never had the chance to see the landscape. But, I can say that it most surely is underground, because it's a giant facility filled with very large tunnels." Daybreak admitted, to everyone's surprise.

The team exchanged a look.

"What does Shockwave wants?" Arcee decided to ask.

"All I know is that he's obsessed with _Project Combiner_. Apparently, the Constructicons hold some sort of device that would allow him to complete the experiment."

"One last question for now: the Wrecker, is she truly alive?" Bumblebee asked.

"Yes. Solar Flare keeps her stasis pod inside a storage room." He answered. Then, he looked at the Velocitronian. "I'm being honest with you. I promise."

Knock Out nodded, before turn to look at the others.

The prisoner didn't revealed much to them… But it was something. Including the fact that the Autobot warrior was truly a prisoner of the Decepticons; meaning that, after rescuing the little girl, they would've to create a plan to rescue their comrade. However, only Ratchet understood the real weight of this: they had to find a way to rescue that femme, before her capsule or her body suffered a massive malfunction that would terminate the Wrecker; otherwise…

Otherwise, who knows what Knock Out _wouldn't_ do?

Now knowing the cards in game, the older medic started to think of a way to find out Shockwave's lair's whereabouts. Obviously, they would've to surrender the Constructicon they had in order to save the girl's life. Maybe, and only maybe, they could send a little surprise within the stasis pod.

While Ratchet explained this newly conceived idea to the others, a message came through the mainframe.

* * *

 **Well, things are starting to move faster now... Which reminds me that I have to keep writing the chapter I'm in, or we will run out of story.**

 **Oh, and don't think I forgot that some people wondered about why Knock Out joined the 'Cons and why he didn't left earlier; I put a little explanation in here, but I also wrote an extra chapter with the story, which I'm uploading right now.**

 **Let me know what you think of this! See y-...! *A hand snatches the computer again* Hey! C'mon! I told you it was a joke, Magnus!**

 **Ultra Magnus: But...**

 **Give me back my computer. Now! *The bot complies* Thank you.**

 **See you soon!**


	32. Extra: Knock Out's Past

**Promise is debt. Here's my little explanation of how Knock Out got stuck with the Decepticons.**

 **Warning: English isn't my mother language, so there might be some grammar mistakes.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own** ** _Transformers_** **franchise, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **-EXTRA-**

 **Knock Out's Past**

Knock Out was sitting at the field clinic's roof, looking the landscape, looking the shadows of the warriors that were risking their lives at the battlefront. Honestly, the medic couldn't see them as the heroes they thought they were, but as fools… After losing Sunscorch, the Velocitronian lost a part of himself. It was evident for everyone around him. The gleam in his optics vanished completely, and his head was always lowered. If, at least, the Autobots would've done something to capture Daybreak; but, no. He disappeared, so they gave him for dead and moved on. No justice was going to be made for the Wrecker femme… Not even the remaining Wreckers were planning to look after her killer. He didn't know what else to do.

Or, maybe, the Autobots' radars were right and the bastard was offline. Maybe Nightglider was wrong, and nothing happened the way he thought. He could've been hallucinating due to the Energon loss, or because of the pain… Who knows? There were no others witnesses, save for Primus. "The only thing that's for sure is that I lost her… forever…" He thought. Sighing, he looked at the darkening sky. Night was almost upon him.

It was time for him to resume his duties, so he jumped off the roof and entered the clinic. He had to start his rounds…

"Knock! Hey, Knock!" Breakdown's voice made him look over his shoulder.

The blue mech seemed to be agitated, and he was covered in dust and burning marks. The medic didn't need to ask: he came from the battlefront… Sighing again, the Velocitronian greeted his friend, who quickly grabbed him by the wrist and started to pull him out of the clinic.

"What-?! Wait! Breakdown, what're you doing?!" He asked, struggling to set himself free of his friend's grasp.

"I found him!" The laborer said.

They were already out of the building when the red mech managed to free himself. Pissed, the medic demanded his friend to calm down and explain himself better… Only to receive the confirmation of his fears: Breakdown heard a Vehicon mentioning Daybreak as one of their own, so he fought the drone to have the chance to interrogate him. Thanks to it, now he knew that the traitor was hiding in a Decepticon outpost, not too far from where he betrayed his team; at the outskirts of Kaon.

"Don't you get it? We can go to the Autobots with real information this time!" Breakdown said, decision shining in his optics.

Growling, knowing that this proved that the black mech wasn't delirious after all, Knock Out transformed and drove off towards the nearest Autobot camp, followed closely by his friend. However, the outcome wasn't the one they expected: the outpost's leader sent them back to the clinic, saying that there was no reason to believe that Daybreak was still alive. Besides, they were more worried about the evacuation of the planet; starting with the _Ark_ , the ship that would send the last of the Primes to safety. If it wasn't for Breakdown, Knock Out was sure that he would've attacked the soldier for disregarding their warnings just like that.

And, as the days passed, his hate only got worse and worse; especially when he was assigned to attend to Nightglider, who was yet under observation. Finally, one morning, after having a nightmare in which Sunscorch's screams didn't let him be, Knock Out came to a conclusion: if the Autobots weren't going to lift a finger to stop their traitors, then he would take the matter in _his hands_. Needless to say that, as soon as his best friend knew about his plan, the blue bot tried to stop him with all the reasons he could find… Unfortunately, the Velocitronian was already too consumed by his hate to listen to him…

"But, Knock, you'll never enter a Decepticon camp! Not being a Neutral!" Breakdown tried, once more. "You know they call us 'target practice'! They'll shoot you down before you can set a single foot on their camp!"

"I didn't say that I would go as a Neutral…" The red mech said, while cleaning his tools.

The laborer's eyes widened at the message behind those words. Was he planning to…? No. No, he wouldn't survive a klik among those guys!

"Don't be stupid, Knock Out! You're not up to it!" The larger mech said, grabbing his friend by the shoulders and shaking him.

"They're desperate for medics!" The Velocitronian retorted, slapping his friend's hands off him. "They will let me in without even think it twice! By the time they realize that I'm actually tracking one of their own, it will be too late! I'll be long gone by then!"

"It's not the same to be a medic for the 'Bots than be a medic for the 'Cons! You know better than me that they're called 'Doctors of Doom'! How you think they got that nickname?! By playing cards?! No! They're sent to the battlefront as mere soldiers!"

"Oh, please, Breakdown…" Knock Out huffed, rolling his eye. "Do you honestly think that they would send the new guy to a mission, just like that?" He bitterly chuckled. "I don't plan to stay that long with them."

Breakdown growled and crossed his arms.

"Ok, let's just imagine that your plan doesn't sound like complete and utter madness. How exactly are you planning to enter their army? Huh? Because, last time I checked, you need someone to get you in…" The blue mech reminded him.

But the medic didn't care. He would find the way to enter the 'Cons… He would find Daybreak… and he was sure that he would make him pay for what he did to Sunscorch.

…

It surprised him to find out that Breakdown managed to find them a way in; he would've never asked his friend to follow him. But, he didn't shoo him away. He was glad to know that he wouldn't be alone…

And, unsurprisingly, Megatron took him as his new medic, since they were in need of doctors. And, at first, it worked for him… Until he realized that Daybreak was nowhere around, since he was transferred to another unit. He desperately tried to find where he was now, but all his attempts to access the mainframe proved to be useless…

And that's when things got even worse…

He could've dealt with being sent to the battlefront as a mere soldier, he knew that it was a possibility… But when Megatron entered his med-bay dragging a prisoner behind him…

After realizing that his knowledge wasn't good enough to bypass the security protocols that kept the names of the double agents as a secret, the Velocitronian decided that it was time to leave. He wouldn't stand another 'interrogatory' among the 'Cons; so he told his friend Breakdown that they would escape from the outpost that very night, during the guard change.

…

Everything was silent. Apparently, there wasn't a battle going on; which was good, because it meant that they would be able to run towards the nearest Autobot camp without incidents. Making sure that there was nobody between them and the exit, Knock Out gestured Breakdown to follow him, and started to walk towards the outpost's door, pretending that he was just wandering around.

The guards were nowhere near. Good.

With a nod, both friends started to run towards the exit… only to be stopped by two strong tentacles. Gulping, the runaway mechs looked back, noticing that the menacing figure of Soundwave, Third in Command and Communications Chief of the Decepticon army, was standing right behind them. It was bad news… This mech was the eyes and ears of Megatron, and if he went to his master knowing that they tried to escape, the warlord would terminate them immediately.

The silent Cybertronian walked up to them, shifting his attention from the medic to the warrior, and vice versa. It was a silent way to ask them where they thought they were going; because, being Third in Command, he was well-aware that these two didn't have orders to leave the base. Especially because they were yet too new in the ranks, and were still in process of earning their place among them. The blue mech gulped under the Communications Chief gaze. Yes. It was really intimidating not to be able to see the spymaster's face; and Soundwave knew it, after all it was part of his strategy when he was a gladiator.

Knock Out looked briefly at the exit door. It was right behind them! They could simply transform and speed off, towards the Autobot camp; Soundwave wouldn't risk himself chasing after two defective newbies!

But, as the black mech's minicons, Laserbeak and Ravage, cut the way, the medic had to admit that their escape route was history. Sighing, he tried to come up with a good excuse.

"My friend and I were simply exploring the base, sir." He said with a shrug, trying to look honest.

Soundwave cocked his head to the left. He wasn't buying it…

"Return to your posts." The spymaster ordered, using some recorded voices; at the same time he stepped aside and pointed down the hallway that led to the depths of the base.

"Yes, sir." Breakdown and Knock Out said, trying not to look disappointed for the outcome, while walking back to the med-bay.

With a nod, the black mech remained where he was until the two bots were safely inside the outpost.

Try to escape immediately after this was futile… Soundwave watched them day and night for a whole quartex after this incident; and, as the number of medics under Megatron's command started to decrease dramatically, Knock Out found himself trapped. There was no way for him to escape now, not with the warlord keeping him at the med-bay. Well, he couldn't abandon the 'Cons… but Breakdown could! All he had to do was go to the battlefield and abandon his unit in the last minute!

"And leave you here? Alone, and surrounded with this madmen?" The blue mech retorted, arching an eyebrow. "Forget it, Knock!"

"But…"

"But, nothing! You're my best pal! I'm not leaving ya' here, all alone! We're in this together, got it?" The warrior interrupted his friend.

Knock Out smiled.

"Got it." He repeated. "Thank you, Breakdown." He added, placing a hand on the laborer's shoulder.

"Thank me once we're outta here!" Breakdown chuckled.

… But, as the stellar-cycles passed, both friends realized that they were never going to escape. As long as Soundwave was in charge of the security, the chances for someone to run away and survive were near to zero; and so, their only option was to survive the war… as Decepticons, because there was no way for them to survive inside that army as Neutrals. Hopefully, they would make it out with their sanity intact…

Well… _Mostly_ intact…

… … …

Sighing, Knock Out looked at the Autobots, who were chatting with their human friends, who threw a welcome party for them, and wondered how could've been so stupid. Lowering his gaze to his drink, the red mech wished to have the power to rewind time, to go back to the last day he talked with Sunscorch and keep her away from her mission. That way, he would have remained as a Neutral, Breakdown would still be there, and… who knows? Maybe he wouldn't be an intruder in this party. Sighing again, glanced at the Autobots and the humans one more time with sad eyes.

And to think that he, long ago, was like them…

Bitterly smirking, Knock Out looked at his drink. "In your memory, Breakdown, and to yours too, Sun. I wish things would've been different…" He thought, before take a long sip.

"Hey! Doc-Knock!" The loud voice of the girl calling him made Knock Out come back to reality, noticing that the children and the bots were now looking at him. "Why so down in the dumps? There's a party over here!" She said, while gesturing him to get closer.

The medic arched an eyebrow. Were they actually _inviting_ him? He wanted to retort, to give the girl one of his famous smartass replies, but nothing was coming to his mind. He wasn't in the mood of starting a fight; to tell the truth, he was desperate to feel comfortable, so he decided to roll with it… at least for a while…

* * *

 **I hope this explains it... By the way, the end is from my chapter "Welcome Party"**

 **See ya!**


	33. THIRTY ONE: Divide and Conquer

**Hello again! How're you doing?**

 **Wow! 53 reviews?! Guys, you don't know how happy I am about your enthusiasm for this fic! Thank you!**

 **Sympathy Effect** **:**

 **I'll go in parts here:**

 **Chapter 28: *scratching the back of her neck* Um... Oops. I didn't notice that I used it all the time. Dammit... But, thanks for making me see it!**

 **And I'm glad you liked the argument between Knock Out and Nightglider! And, though the flyer was a warrior and has seen almost everything, he's still capable of feel fear; and, since he didn't expect the Velocitronian to behave like that... Well, he had a reason to get a little scared.**

 **About Daybreak's motives... Well... It was the only thing I could come up with...**

 **The clinic's scene: I believed that it would deepen the characters' relationship by showing that he kept his hopes up as long as he could.**

 **Chapter 30: No. Don't make Ultra Magnus start talking about his rulebook, or we'll be stuck with him for over three months... Or even more... About Elita and certain bot... Let's just say that I have something planned *evil smile*. And, about the Combiners... Don't worry. I never watched the 80's show, so I didn't meet them through there, but through some of the comics (I felt curiosity about Windblade, and they appeared at some point; and one thing led to the other, and, before noticed, I knew about the Combiners).**

 **Oh, by the way, I'm afraid that Millie knows about your comments and sends you a big hug. She's just too cute (she was the first OC I created for this story, so...).**

 **About Elita's comment: she's just like Optimus, ok? Besides, she has been a prisoner of the Decepticons, and doesn't want to be like them under any sort of circumstance...  
**

 **Extra chapter: Glad that I explained the character's motivations properly. And... No, Knock Out didn't think about switching sides, but, mostly because of Soundwave's constant watching. Again, he was a coward during the show.**

 **Seeker3 :**

 **Yup, we're reaching the end... But not the way you're imagining ;D**

 **As I told to Sympathy, I met the Combiners through a random comic, and searched the rest... So, I'm sorry if some of them are OOC, I'm basing them in what I found through Internet in fan pages. For what I found, Hook was the head and Long Haul was the crotch (position that he didn't exactly appreciated, as I read somewhere XD).**

 **By the way, I do know about the Enigma of Combination; but, since in this show it seemed that all the relics that belonged to former Primes doesn't work without a Prime holding it (such as the Forge of Solus Prime, a.k.a. the Cybertronian Mjolmir, and the Star Saber, which is the Cybertronian version of Excalibur if you ask me...). So, sorry to disappoint, but Shockwave made it work through medical research... Sorry, but, seriously, I didn't want to bring another ridiculously powerful relic to Earth... Especially one that the characters seems to misplace every two seconds!**

 **widh (chapter 11):**

 **The typo has already been fixed, thanks for making me notice it! And, about the 'suture', I wrote it because I think that that's what they do when they weld their patient's wounds.  
**

 **Warning: English isn't my mother language, so there might be some grammar mistakes in here.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own _Transformers_ franchise, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **THIRTY ONE: Divide and Conquer**

The instructions were simple: the Autobots were told to surrender the stasis pod they had before nightfall ―they gave the 'Bots a joor―, or the girl would be killed. Also, the person to deliver the asset should be Knock Out. At the first sign of weapons, the girl died. The coordinates led to an isolated valley, somewhere in Africa's savannah.

Solar Flare was already waiting, next to Skywarp and Thundercracker, who were sent as her bodyguards (to their dislike…). The femme was holding a glass container, inside of which Millie was trembling in fear. The memory of a giant purple being breaking the hospital's window and part of the exterior wall, while reaching for her, and snatching her from the bed was yet too fresh. At first, she tried to run away, but this beings were faster; and, once he had her on his grasp, the purple bot did something weird and they both appeared inside of a very large building, where more Cybertronians of red eyes were waiting.

Millie thought that the big one of one eye was the scariest of them all… until this "woman" walked up at her. She was smiling, pretending to be nice, but she saw right through her: she was the most dangerous one. Her eyes said it all: if she didn't do as she told her, then this "woman" would kill her without hesitation. Yet, the worst part was when she was told that her captor was Knock Out's sister. How could they be related?! The bot from her memories was gentle, but this one…

The girl remembered that this beings were planning to exchange her for something. When they put her into the container, deep inside and with a courage that she didn't know to have, Millie hoped the Autobots didn't show up… But when the green vortex opened a bunch of feet away from where they were, she knew that her captors won. They _were_ going to negotiate for her life.

However, the real surprise came when she saw a familiar red mech walking out of the portal. He seemed hurt, and his left arm was strapped with some trinket. Behind him, two more bots (one of them was yellow, the other one was green) appeared dragging some sort of large box.

Solar Flare smiled, and uncrossed her arms, while walking closer to her brother.

"Not so fast, Flare!" The medic yelled, frowning. "The girl first!"

Nodding, the femme grabbed the container and released the prisoner on the ground. Though a little startled, Millie quickly got on her feet and ran towards Knock Out as fast as she could, while the red mech kneeled down and extended his good hand to receive her. The girl jumped into his palm and hugged to his thumb, shaking in fear for what happened. She felt him scooping her up.

"Are you ok?" He asked, worried.

She nodded with a smile on the lips, gesture that he imitated.

"Now is your turn, brother. The pod or your lives." Solar Flare's voice cut the reunion between the former 'Con and the little girl.

Slowly, Knock Out stepped aside, allowing Bumblebee and Bulkhead to carry the stasis pod towards the 'Cons, who told them when to stop and put it down. The warriors nodded and did as told, all under the constant threat of the Seekers' weapons, which were aimed at their heads as the Autobots started to walk backwards, getting away from the asset. Once it was safe, the flyers checked the object, making sure that it was the real deal, and picked it up.

The exchange was over…

But, when the Decepticons are in between, nothing is as simple as it should; and, soon, Solar Flare was aiming towards her brother's head, and his 'pet', with a wicked smile. The two warriors next to him tried to unfold their weapons, but the Seekers shot at their feet, indicating them to stand down; if they didn't comply, nobody would get out of this alive. Grunting, Bumblebee and Bulkhead rose their hands in surrender.

Knock Out sighed. He knew it… This couldn't have been so easy; there must've been something else, otherwise, why specify that they wanted _him_ to make the deliver instead of Daybreak? This whole thing was a trap to lure him out of the base, out of the Autobots' protection…

"Not so fast, little brother. You're coming back with us!" The Velocitronian femme said.

"What?!" The Wrecker yelled.

"The deal was the girl for the Constructicon!" The yellow warrior snarled.

"I know… This is a new deal: my brother's services, for Sunscorh's life." Solar Flare smirked when the medic's face darkened and his eyes changed of shade.

Millie wasn't sure of what was truly happening around her, but one thing was sure: those persons had another hostage. "No…" She silently begged, looking straight into his hurt face, as she heard him growling. He was considering it! Desperately, the girl started to shake her head in denial, trying to make him change his mind; but, when the bot's eyes looked down at her… She knew it. He was surrendering.

When he turned around to give her to the yellow bot behind him, Millie held onto the mech's hand with all her might.

"Millie, let go." Knock Out pleaded her.

"No! You can't go with them!" She retorted, tears in the corners of her eyes.

The medic sighed, silently apologizing to the girl before gesture Bumblebee to take her off him. The warrior nodded and did as told, despite of Millie's refusal.

"Now, listen to me: this is Bumblebee. You can trust him, ok? Remain with him and the others at all time, understood?" He told her, smiling slightly when she nodded. Then, he turned to look at the 'Cons. "I'll go with you, _if_ you let the Autobots and the girl leave first." The red Velocitronian negotiated.

Skywarp was about to react at the demand, but Solar Flare rose an arm, ordering him to stand down. The Seeker grunted and crossed his arms, disappointed when the femme nodded in agreement. The purple mech looked at the cerulean one, who shrugged. The other Autobots weren't important anyway…

"Fine. They can leave. You stay." The Velocitronian femme agreed.

With that, Bumblebee and Bulkhead requested a ground-bridge, which opened behind the two warriors, who silently wished good luck to the red mech. Then, slowly, both bots started to walk towards the vortex, without lose the Seekers from sight, fearing a coward attack; but, as soon as they safely set foot inside the wormhole, both warriors decided that everything was fine, so, sharing a nod, they started to run towards the other end.

Millie, still trapped between Bumblebee's hands, cried and tried to convince these new beings to go back for her friend, but they didn't seem to listen; and, before she was able to complain, she found herself inside of a very large room, and the portal turning off behind the yellow bot. Wiping her tears, the little girl noticed that there were plenty more bots, standing in a semicircle around them, while another one who looked older than the rest was standing next to a very large computer. Were this the Autobots?

The one who was holding her started to walk towards a platform that was beyond the wall of beings who was looking at her as if they have never seen a human being before; but, soon enough, she knew that wasn't the case, since she was put on a stage where those men, Jack and Fowler, were waiting for her, next to another two kids. Well, this proved that they didn't lie to her; they did know more Cybertronians…

The yellow bot was expecting her to jump off his hand, but the girl didn't move, not knowing what to do or expect.

Jack walked up to her and, with a friendly smile, he offered his right hand. Millie took it and let the teenager help her to jump off the warrior's palm.

"Welcome to the Omega Outpost 2.0, Millie." He said, helping her to stand up, while the girl simply looked around in awe. " _These_ are the Autobots." He added, gesturing towards the giant metallic beings who were now smiling at her, trying to make her feel as comfortable as they could. "You already met Bumblebee and Bulkhead." The two warriors bowed their heads at the mention of their names. "They're Rafael's and Miko's guardians." He said, gesturing at the other two teenagers in the place. The Japanese girl waved her hand to the newcomer, while smiling widely. "Mine is Arcee."

The smallest bot in the room, a woman, winked an eye to her.

Then, Jack kept introducing the team members, but there was only one bot that she wanted to see… and they just left him behind. Still a little confused, Millie, not knowing who to talk to, turned towards Jack and asked what was going on; specially, she wanted to know why Knock Out was left with those monsters.

"I realize that it must be hard for you to understand, but he did this willingly." The oldest one, Ratchet, tried to explain.

"Yeah. It's all part of the plan." Bulkhead added.

"Part of the plan?" She repeated, still confused.

* * *

The vortex closed, indicating that the warriors and the little girl arrived safely to their destination. Finally, Knock Out sighed in relief. "Yet, is still too soon to celebrate." He reminded himself, while turning around to look at the three Decepticons, who also requested a ground-bridge for them, and were waiting for him with their weapons out… even his own sister, whose sinister smile disgusted and scared him at the same time. "You're doing this for her. Keep that in mind." He told himself as he straightened up and started to walk towards the 'Cons, who forced him to enter the ground-bridge first.

At the other end of the tunnel, Knock Out was rudely received by five sharp claws that scratched him on the face. Though he didn't realize his presence before, the medic didn't need to see him to know who did it…

"Hey! Respect the paintjob, Screamer!" He shouted, while massaging his face.

The air commander just stood there, glaring at him with a cynical grin on the lips; while his Seekers and Solar Flare walked by behind his back, carrying the stasis pod he just surrendered. The vortex went off.

"You should be thankful that I'm respecting your life, Knock Out. After all that I've done for you…" The grey Seeker said, slightly shaking his head in pretended disappointment.

The medic rolled his eyes.

"Oh, please… Skip the drama, and tell me what you want." The red mech hurried his captors.

"As you wish… Scrapper!" A green and violet mech of red eyes made its appearance from behind the commander. "Take our guest to his new workplace…"

The Constructicon nodded, and grabbed the surgeon by the right arm, pulling him inside the dark base. It was huge, and built after Darkmount's facilities. The mainframe controllers were located in a very large room, which lone occupant at the moment was Shockwave, who turned to look at the prisoner as soon as he heard the steps.

When Scrapper forced him in, Knock Out had a glimpse of another room that was closed with a security code, and couldn't help but wonder if that was the place where they were keeping _her_ … Also, he noticed that, inside the control room, the stasis pod he brought was already open and the recently awaken Constructicon was being helped by his partners. "One, two, three, four… Five? Where's the sixth?" He wondered, before being pushed towards the chief scientist, who grabbed him by the throat.

Shockwave wasn't known for getting mad (he didn't have emotions after all), but this was most certainly anger…

"You proved to be a bigger problem than estimated." The cyclops commented.

"What's the matter? Don't you enjoy some sport?" Knock Out tried to joke.

Of course that the only reaction he got was Shockwave cocking his head to the side, not understanding his humor sense.

However, soon enough the scientist decided to put aside the prisoner's mocking, as the tossed him inside of what it looked like a makeshift medical room, in which the sixth Constructicon was being kept inside of his stasis pod. After hitting the ground with his injured arm and shrieking in pain, the red medic put all his might in collecting himself from the floor by holding onto the dissection's table brim. Only then, he saw the patient: the 'Con was agonizing. The life-support system of his vessel was compromised, and was starting to force its passenger into a permanent shut down.

What these people wanted from him was pretty obvious now: they were demanding him to save the Constructicon's life. Knock Out sighed to calm down, and turned to look at his captors.

"I will do it. But I have conditions." He stated.

"You're in no position to…" Starscream started to say, but was cut off by a signal from Shockwave.

"List them out." The violet mech said.

"For starters: I will require an assistant, since I'm injured and can't move as fast as I should." The medic said this while pointing at his wounded arm, receiving a nod from the chief scientist. "Second: the only reason I'm here is because I was told that you were keeping a hostage. I need to see it in person."

"Not possible." Shockwave hurried to say.

"Then you can kiss goodbye your precious soldier, because I won't save him, unless you let me see the prisoner with my own eyes." The red mech retorted. "Excuse me for not trust your word, but I used to be a Decepticon, and I kind of remember how things worked…" He added, placing his right hand on the side of his hip while cocking his head and narrowing his eyes.

It took a minute or two, but the violet mech finally agreed to prove him that their hostage was save and sound. With a move of his head, Shockwave ordered Solar Flare to take their prisoner to the vault where they were keeping their captive. The champagne colored femme nodded, and, deploying her blasters, ordered her brother to follow her.

The surgeon walked behind his sister, while two Constructicons watched him closely. "I need to get rid of the bodyguards." He thought, while inspecting the hallways. There weren't many ways out, probably just the ground-bridge, meaning that his only escape route was heavily surveilled. Also, the hallways were rather narrow, restricting his mobility; it meant that his enhanced agility wouldn't help him much either… And, anyway, if he tried to run away, Solar was the faster of the two, so… "Scrap. I don't see how to get out." Knock Out thought, biting his lip. His only option was to follow their game and hope for a good chance to come. He needed to gain access to a terminal, and he needed to be left alone.

Suddenly, the Velocitronian femme stopped in front of a locked door. It wasn't the one he saw before, this one was further from the entrance point; however, if it was locked, it was because there was something important inside. Indeed, when the door slid open, the medic saw a stasis pod lying against a wall, between boxes of Energon, which were the only illumination of the place.

After a second or two, Solar Flare allowed him to approach the vessel so he could have a better look. Nodding, he did as told.

When he reached the object, the surgeon couldn't believe his eyes…

Asleep, in deep stasis, and covered in scars that he didn't remember, was Sunscorch… weak, but alive. Knock Out couldn't help the sigh of happiness that escaped his vocalizer when he touched the pod, only to convince himself that it was really there, that he wasn't hallucinating or anything alike. "After all this time… I found you." He thought, feeling guilty for haven't had more faith. After all, despite that her body was never found, not even he believed that Daybreak left her alive… "I'm sorry, 'Scorch. I failed you." He mentally apologized.

"Alright, you saw I wasn't lying." Solar Flare started, warming up one of her blasters. "Now let's go. You have work to do."

* * *

Millie was curled up in the couch, hugging her knees. The children already tried it all to make her feel better, but everything seemed to be useless; so, in the end, they just let her be… But it wasn't a nice view, reason why Jack and Miko kept pestering Ratchet and Raf, asking if Knock Out appeared yet; but all they got were negatives. It seemed that the red medic hasn't been able to upload the virus yet…

… … …

 _The alarm from the mainframe announced the incoming message, reason why Elita walked back to the control room leaving the team at the hallway. Ratchet was talking about the possibility of hide a trap inside of the stasis pod they retrieved, and the red medic was listening at it fully interested; so she guessed that they would be fine without her for a couple minutes. Besides, it could be important… However, this wasn't what she had in mind when she opened the mail._

 _"Sweet AllSpark! Autobots! We have a situation!" She yelled, gaining everyone's attention, as the team rushed into the room. The older medic hurried to the control panel, gasping when he noticed the message and its content. "The Decepticons communicated. They want an exchange: the Constructicon for the girl's life. They're giving us a joor to comply, or they'll kill the child." She announced, looking at the screen._

 _"Alright! If you want to put a tracker on that thing, we have to hurry!" Ironhide said, starting to walk off, towards the storage room to grab the required tools._

 _"A tracker? The 'Cons will see it from miles away…" Wheeljack commented. Being himself a mechanic, he was aware that both armies gained too much knowledge about tracking devices during the war._

 _"There's one more thing." Ratchet interrupted the mechs' argument. "They demand that the person who delivers the pod be Knock Out." He said, looking at the team._

 _The children exchanged a worried look. It had to be another attempt to hijack the medic… It was way too obvious, and not only for them, as the bots started to exchange a worried look too._

 _But, against all probability, the red medic took a step forward._

 _"Then let's give them what they want." He said._

 _"Knock Out, if they take you to their base, then there's a big chance for us to never find you." Arcee reminded him, frowning._

 _"Not to mention that you may get terminated…" Chromia added._

 _"Not necessarily. If they're trying to hijack me again, is because they still need me…" The surgeon said with a smirk, before turn to look at Rafael. "Say… For what I've picked up, you helped to program the base's systems, didn't you?" he asked._

 _"Um… Yes…" The teenager said, with a shrug, not sure where this was going._

 _"Oh, leave the shyness, Raf! You are a genius!" Miko cheered._

 _At the mention of his IQ, the boy sighed, slightly embarrassed…_

 _Knock Out walked closer to him._

 _"How fast can you program a virus?" The red medic asked with an evil grin on the lips._

* * *

He was working on Scavenger as fast as he could, under the Seekers' surveillance, and with Solar Flare's assistance for when he needed two hands. They already stabilized the guy, meaning that it was time to open the pod and wake him up. However, it only meant that he needed to think really fast and look for any excuse to get close to the mainframe's access. Without his sister's nor the Seekers' notice, the medic glanced towards the keyboards that were attached to the wall behind him.

One chance. That's all he needed. One chance, only five seconds, and his mission would be over. Unluckily, he knew that his opportunities were near zero when surrounded by three Decetpicons who were heavily armed. "I need to find a weakness…" Knock Out thought, while finishing the procedure.

After Scavenger started to groan, the Seekers pulled him away from the Constructicon, allowing the other five teammates circle their comrade; next to them were Shockwave and Starscream, this last one had a pleased smile in the lips. Solar Flare simply crossed her arms and walked through the door, not giving a damn about these soldiers. The red mech followed her with his eyes, and arched an eyebrow at his sister's attitude. It screamed that she wasn't there because she cared for Shockwave's or Starscream's plans; and, if that was so, then what was she doing with this guys? Maybe, if he figured it out, he would be able to save his sister…

He was so concentrated in Solar Flare's situation, that he didn't notice that the chief scientist was talking to him, until he was being held by the throat and taken to another room; this time, it was a lab. The cyclops threw him against a table on which Knock Out found a strange dispositive. It was round and was connected to some tubes that resembled the ones that distributes the Energon inside of a Cybertronian body, as the veins distributes the blood inside the organics bodies. The medic picked it up, not understanding what he was expected to do.

"What is this thing?" He wondered, turning around to look at the scientist.

"I designed it to regulate the Energon's consume." Shockwave stated, walking up to him. "But my knowledge in medicine has proven to be limited. It requires to be perfected by a professional. A medic's assistance is, for then, a need."

Knock Out's eyes grew wide as he understood: this was the solution that the violet mech mentioned on his research! A secondary regulator installed in one of the Combiner's parts to ensure that the soldiers won't burn inside out, as it happened with the first team!

The red mech tossed the item away, and it landed at the Seekers' and the Constructicons' feet.

"This is madness! Our bodies are built to _naturally_ regulate our fuel; tampering with the Nature's rules is insane! Who knows the side effects that that thing can trigger?!" He said, while pointing at the trinket.

"I have already considered the flaws."

"From a _medical_ point of view?" Knock Out pressed, frowning and narrowing his eyes. "The procedure to attach something like that to a Cybertronian pumping system…"

"Has already been performed." Shockwave interrupted the surgeon, who was only able to stare in disbelief. "However, the procedure is incomplete since I haven't been capable of make the regulators work. For so, attach them to the soldiers' power core was an unnecessary risk." He leaned down to the Velocitronian mech. "As I said: professional medical advice is required." Then, the violet mech started to walk away. "For your friend's welfare, I recommend you not to fail…"

"Keep an eye on him." Starscream ordered to his Seekers before walk after the scientist.

Trapped, Knock Out picked up the dispositive and started to work on it, trying to figure how to finish his mission and live to tell the tale.

Behind him, Thundercracker's doubts were starting to reach the breaking point.

* * *

Bumblebee was practically praying already, since there has been over six hours without news from Knock Out. "Why something tells me this went sideways…?" He thought, while massaging his forehead, feeling impotent. True, they didn't have the time to think things through, but it sounded pretty much solid at the time. Sighing, the warrior was hoping that they would've considered all their options sooner.

Seeing his friend in distress, Rafael walked up to the bot, and patted him on the leg, while smiling in a reassuring way. Bumblebee thanked his support, before his eyes were distracted by Millie's figure. The kid was yet curled up in the couch, and refused to move or talk. They needed to do something about that… Then, and idea popped up on his processor as he saw "Miko's corner" (as the boys started to call the wall that the Japanese girl decided to decorate with all the pictures she has taken of the team). With a smirk on the lips, the warrior kneeled down to talk with his partner.

"Hey, Raf, can you help me make Millie feel more comfortable around here?" He asked.

"Sure. What do you want me to do?"

"We need to distract her." The bot said. "And I know just the right way to do it…"

She cried for so long that her eyes felt dry and tired, and her whole body was weak. It has been hours since her friend was taken hostage by the bad guys, and nobody has received news from him. It wasn't good, and she knew it. But these bots refused to talk about their plan whenever she was around, and usually went away to discuss about it… She has noticed the way that the pink and the old one used to glance at her before start whispering. She wasn't stupid to not to know what they were talking about…

The other kids tried to make her feel comfortable, but all she wanted was to have news from Knock Out… Even that man, Fowler, decided to give her some space after his third intend to start a conversation. The rest of the bots also stopped trying…

It was then when the youngest one from the teenagers walked up to her with a soda.

"Hey, I thought that you might be a little thirsty." He said with a polite smile.

Millie slowly took the drink, but said nothing. He bit his lip and looked at his friends, who were in the corner next to the elevator. The three of them nodded.

"Hey, Miko has been working in this sort of mural… Do you wanna see it?" Rafael asked.

Again, she didn't say any word, but nodded.

Slowly, the little girl got off the couch and followed the teenager to the wall where the other two kids were waiting. The whole corner was filled with pictures of them and the bots. She recognized the major part of them, because they were at the base right now; but there were two who she didn't know, nor see at the place. Millie pointed at them while asking who those were.

"Oh! That's Optimus Prime and that one is Ultra Magnus!" Rafael said, pointing at the pictures.

"They led this team a couple years ago. Really cool guys." Jack said, tucking his hands into his jeans' back pockets.

"Yeah! They totally rocked! You should've seen them kicking some tailpipe in the battlefield! They even fought a predacon that looked like a dragon!" Miko started to say with her usual outgoing way. "Though Magnus was a little uptight… You know, the kind of guy who lives by the rulebook?" She added, crossing her arms. "Geez, he really needed to chill out a little." The Japanese girl said, rolling her eyes.

"'Chill out a little, _sir_ '." Jack chortled, while imitating the way that the blue commander treated them the day they met him.

Nor the Japanese teenager, nor Rafael could help but laugh out loud at the memory.

"And what about Optimus?" Millie wondered.

Suddenly, the chuckles faded away as the three teenagers' eyes widened and their mouths opened in a small gasp, before they all averted their eyes. The girl looked at them, analyzing their faces, which seemed to be grieving.

Whatever happened to this bot, it couldn't be good…

Jack was the first one in talk.

"He…" He sighed, looking for words. "Two years ago, he sacrificed himself to protect the AllSpark. Do you know what it is?" He asked, looking at her.

"No. Knock Out told me a little about his culture, but we talked mostly about his friends and the war." The girl admitted, shaking her head.

"So I thought." The oldest teenager said with a nod.

"It's their source of life. Without the AllSpark, Cybertron, their planet, is unable to produce new life. They need it to keep their race going." Rafael explained. "During the war, Optimus and some other leaders send it away to keep it safe; but, when the conflict was over, he had to bring it back to ensure the species future."

"Unfortunately, Unicron, the biggest party pooper of the entire universe, decided to show up; and when he endangered the planet…" MIko started, gesturing.

"Optimus did what it was needed to protect his home, and his team." Jack completed. Then, he looked at the picture that Millie pointed, in which the tall red and blue mech was seen working on the mainframe. It was taken when they were looking for Iacon's relics… "According to Ratchet, the AllSpark merged with Optimus's spark; and, when that happens, there's no way back… To return it inside the planet's core meant to quit to his own spark… To his own life-source…"

Millie kind of understood what came later, but, still, she needed to ask…

"What did he do?" She wondered.

"He jumped into the Well of the AllSpark." Ratchet answered, from behind them, making the four children turn around to look at him. "He made the ultimate sacrifice for the greater good." He added.

The white and orange bot's eyes told Millie all she needed to know: he was good friends with this Optimus, and he was yet sad for losing him.

"I'm sorry about your friend…" She said, lowering her eyes.

"The way he said farewell us, left us all a little shaken…" Bulkhead said, approaching the group.

The rest of the team, also getting into the conversation, started to join the chat.

"But, we all knew better…" Arcee said, with a sad smile.

"If we really wanted to honor his memory, there was only one way." Smokescreen commented.

"Live up the way he taught us to, and to be true to our beliefs." Bumblebee completed.

"As long as we try our best to be what an Autobot should be and represent, we show our respect to our friend and leader." Wheeljack said, crossing his arms.

Away from them, Nightglider smiled at the team's speech, only to, suddenly turn serious before spare a look to the hallway, to the room where they locked his brother. In his memories, they were like this bots: brave, righteous, real Autobots that fought for the greater good. Sighing, he knew that, in his spark, he would never understand why Daybreak decided to betray what they fought so hard to protect…

Chromia, smiling at the scene, intertwined her fingers with Ironhide's when she felt the encountered emotions that the red mech was having. He, feeling his femme trying to cheer him up, dedicated a smile at the cerulean warrior. Yes… Optimus, a.k.a. Orion, was like the brother he never had. They were best pals since the moment they met, and there wouldn't be a day in which he wouldn't feel bad for haven't been there for his friend when he needed him…

However, if someone was feeling bad for her absence during Optimus's last moments, that was _her_. Knowing this, Ironhide placed a hand on Elita's shoulder. The pink femme blinked in surprise at the gesture, but quickly smiled to thank it.

Yes… Those two knew the way she felt when Ratchet told her about Optimus's sacrifice. And so the medic knew. After all, the four of them were friends of the Prime, back when he was a nobody, when he was no one else but the bashful Orion Pax.

Suddenly, that itch returned, bothering her again. Elita tried not to show it, but her hand was resting on her chassis before she even noticed. Why was she feeling this way? It wasn't for whatever thing Shockwave put inside of her; it was something else…

* * *

Solar Flare was all alone at the storage room where Sunscorch was being kept prisoner. She needed to get away from the others for a little while. "Too many mechs in this base…" The Velocitronian thought. Their company, plus the presence of her brother were starting to get to her nerves, as the memories of that night returned to her processor. Closing her optics, she could still feel those guys grabbing her, kicking and punching her, who was trapped against the wall…

At first she wanted to believe that it was all a nightmare; but when she woke up in that clinic… when she heard the nurses…

And nobody moved its aft to do something about it.

So she decided to take the matter between her hands…

* * *

Knock Out was almost done, but he couldn't show it, or he would become expendable. "I need to do it, and fast…" He thought, while grabbing the regulator and walking towards one of the keyboards, all under the Seekers' supervision. He tried to enter the database, but, of course, there was a password.

"What's the code?" He asked to the flyers.

"Right… And you think we will tell you…" Skywarp mocked him, rolling his eyes.

"If you don't want to tell Shockwave that I haven't been able to finish his science project, because I didn't have access to its blueprints; then, yes." The medic retorted.

At the mention of the chief scientist, the Seekers exchanged an inquisitive look, but gave him the password all the same. Nodding, Knock Out turned again to type it down; and, once he was in, the Velocitronian searched for the blueprints… at the same time he took out a flash-drive from his sub-space and plugged it into the mainframe.

* * *

 **That's all for now!**

 **Let me know what you think!**

 **See ya!**


	34. THIRTY TWO: Reunited

**I'm back, people! So sorry for the delay! My computer suddenly started to have glitches, and, this last Saturday, it just turned off and didn't seem to come back to life! But I'm back online, and ready to go!  
**

 **Sorry for the delay!**

 **Now, to the reviews:**

 **Seeker3** **: Haha! The picture of Devastator running into stuff without knowing where he's headed to made me laugh! Especially if you imaging the scene with Hook running behind it and screaming something like "Hey! You forgot me, you morons!", while the others stomps into some gas station or something. Now that I think about it, it would be pretty funny! Maybe for some other time...**

 **Yeah, Knock Out knows how to be sneaky! And, about Millie, don't worry; she'll get her hugs!**

 **Sympathy Effect** **: Ultra Magnus's rulebook comes by triplicate, with two appendices, and a glossary for techical terms... and it comes in Cybertronian only, so... But, oh well.**

 **Heh, heh... You saw the hint about 'certain bot', huh? But, we're not there yet (and if I don't start writing right now, we'll never be... crap...).  
**

 **The 'Cons didn't attempt to rescue Daybreak because he got himself captured, and, since they now have the six Constructicons, they decided to leave the former Autobot behind, believing that they don't need it anymore. Solar Flare was just using him anyway, and they needed more a medic than another warrior; so Knock Out was more logical (Shockwave is leading them after all...). And, talking about our favorite surgeon, yes, he has a very good reason not to be a coward right now: his girlfriend is the 'Cons hostage! He didn't went all touchy feely at the moment, because it was hardly the time to, when surronded by enemies... in a storage room... with the femme still unconscious...**

 **About Solar Flare: well, yes... She got really hurt. But, not only that. You'll see in this chapter.**

 **Shockwave's password might be a very large and complicated formula. After all, he's a scientist; and it will provide him total security around Starscream and his trine (especially around Skywarp XD).**

 **So, let's go back to our story.**

 **Warnings: English isn't my mother language, so there might be some grammar mistakes in here.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own** ** _Transformers_** **franchise, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **THIRTY TWO: Reunited**

Ratchet was making yet another scan over the globe, hoping to find anything out of place, when he noticed that the four children were uncharacteristically silent. Turning to check on them, the old medic found them all sitting at the couch, in front of the TV screen, napping. Jack and Miko were at the center, with their heads resting in each other, and their arms were wrapping the younger ones. Jack was embracing Rafael, whose head was resting on the older boy's shoulder; and Miko was wrapping Millie, whose head was resting on the older girl's lap. The four of them were sleeping soundly, tired of waiting without receiving results.

With a sigh, Ratchet pressed a button on the keyboard, turning off the TV, which was left on the movies channel. At the same time, Fowler came out of his office.

"I just got an ultimatum from my superiors. They're not happy about this…" He complained, massaging his neck and shoulder with his left hand, while the other rested on the side of his hip. It was then when his eyes saw the four children. "Any news from Narcissus?" He asked, looking at Ratchet.

"Nothing yet. Honestly, I'm starting to worry…" The bot admitted. His eyes averted to briefly watch the little girl that was asleep at Miko's side. "Not only for him." He added, looking back at the Federal Agent.

Fowler looked at Millie too and nodded. Yes. Whatever happened to Knock Out would have consequences in her… That bot was friends with her, for some reason beyond his comprehension; but, the hardest part to believe for him was that, despite knowing who he was and the things he was doing, she befriended him as well. Not only that, Millie was worried sick for the former 'Con.

Sighing, the man had to admit to himself that, for the team's and their new member's welfare, they had to find the red bot…

It was then when an alarm started to ring, waking up the children, and calling the Autobots back to the control room; meanwhile, Ratchet was working at light speed to see what triggered it. He couldn't help but smile and chortle when he recognized the source.

"Ratchet!" Bumblebee called, running down the hall, behind Smokescreen and Arcee. "Is it…?!"

"Knock Out! He finally uploaded the virus!" The medic answered. "Rafael! I require assistance to triangulate the coordinates!" He added, looking at the teenager, who promptly jumped off the couch and ran towards his workstation.

Millie, meanwhile looked at the large screen with bright eyes. She didn't understand Cybertronian code, so all she could do was rely on the bot's word and hope for her friend to be ok. Suddenly, she felt a pair of arms hugging her, and, when she peered over her shoulder, the little girl saw that Miko was smiling at her.

"See? We told ya! Doc-Knock is fine!" The Japanese teenager said with a big smile.

A little more calmed now, Millie nodded, and looked back at the team who was forming a circle around Elita, starting to come up with a plan to raid the labs, as soon as Ratchet and Rafael pinpointed the coordinates to open a ground-bridge.

* * *

Shockwave was back at the lab, where Knock Out surrendered the fixed regulator for a test ride. The Velocitronian mech, trapped between the Seekers, watched as the chief scientist placed the object inside a simulator to turn it on. After a few seconds, the machine stated that the probability of a successful distribution of the fuel was above the ninety nine percent; and the violet 'Con nodded, pleased by the results. It was good enough. Then, he took the regulator and sub-spaced it. "Scrap…" Knock Out thought. He was hoping to get rid of that thing once the team arrived…

However, a sudden punch in the midsection didn't allow the medic to keep planning how to correct his mistake. As soon as the red mech was kneeling on the floor, the hissing of three blasters surrounding him filled his audio-receptors, and, when he rose his face, he found out that the three Seekers were now aiming at his face. "And this keeps going south…" He thought, gulping in fear. But, again, as soon as the three soldiers were readying to shoot, Shockwave stopped them.

"Again?" Skywarp complained, while Thundercracker simply put away his weapons, action that didn't went missing by the prisoner.

"I spared him last time, because you needed him to make that thing compatible with Cybertronian anatomy; and he already did it! So, tell me, why should I let him live a second time?" Starscream wondered, frowning and clenching his teeth.

"This was just a test run. The real regulators has already been installed, and needs to be connected to the soldiers' power core." The cyclops said, before turn to look straight into the medic. "His abilities are yet useful." Then, he looked to the commander's face. "You can always terminate him later."

The grey Seeker seemed to refuse at first… but finally accepted to let the medic alive.

Grunting, he put his guns down and ordered Skywarp to do the same, before tell Thundercracker to take their 'guest to their med-bay. The cerulean mech grabbed the surgeon by the arm, and started to push him towards another room, where the six Constructicons were already waiting, two of them were sitting on the stretchers. The other four turned to look at the newcomers; to be precise, they were glaring to them, because they knew that their teammates lives were about to be put in a traitor's hands. "And my day just keeps improving…" The medic thought, trying hard not to make any grimace as the Seeker let go from him, forcing him into the room.

And that's when Bonecrusher subdued him, while Scrapper walked up to him.

"Do you know the things I did to the Autobots during the war?" The leader of the Constructicons asked.

"I read the files. You scrapped war prisoners for parts… and smelted the rest…" The medic managed to say, never looking away from the green mech. A voice in his head told him that, if he showed fear, it would be his end.

Scrapper smirked, and leaned closer to the Velocitronian while grabbing him by the chin. Knock Out needed to concentrate all his will power not to slap his dirty servo off his frame.

"If you try anything fishy on my men, I promise, you will _wish_ to have been one of those prisoners, traitor." The Decepticon said.

* * *

Solar Flare was sitting on top of some Energon boxes, inside of the almost pitch black storage room. Her eyes were lost in a long lost past, watching, as if it was a movie, what remained of that memory…

… … …

 _As usual, half of Delta City population was inside of the racing track, excitedly cheering the runners. The stadium was literally vibrating under her tires because of the crowd's roar, which was making her spark beat faster; she knew that, between those voices were the ones of her family. Her carrier, Starnova; her sire, Hermes, and her little brother, Knock Out. The three of them were looking at her that night. If she wins this race, then she would be able to compete in the next_ Benefit 500 _. It would be her great debut on the professional tracks._

 _No pressure…_

 _The racers were already on the start line, revving their engines in excitement, impatient to receive the sign to go. She had to remind herself to concentrate…_

 _Finally, the light turned green, and all the competitors were off._

 _The world became a blur around her, as the young femme concentrated only in the track and the other racers. With an inborn ability, Solar Flare outran the other Velocitronians, until there was only one competitor between her and the finish line. "I can do it… I can do it… I can do it!" She was repeating to herself, while catching up with the first place._

 _They were finally side by side and kliks away from the finish line. The victory was at her reach… and not even the very rude hit she received from her rival would be enough to take her out of the race._

 _As soon as she passed the laser demarking the finish, Solar Flare transformed into her bipedal form, and jumped in joy, screaming and raising her arms; a big, happy smile was printed on her lips and optics, as she scanned the audience until she found what she was looking for; or, better said,_ who _she was looking for:_

 _A tall blue and golden mech of green optics was clapping and cheering, next to a reddish pink and lavender femme of deep blue optics, who promptly shared a hug with the mech, before bend over her other side, to embrace a third Velocitronian. It was a scarlet red sparkling, a mech, of deep blue optics, and snowy white face. He was jumping up and down in excitement for her victory…_

 _They were her creators and her little brother._

 _After receiving the prize, the young femme started to walk towards the west exit, when a tiny red figure appeared, running towards her. Solar Flare smiled and opened her arms for the newcomer, who jumped into her embrace, while wrapping his own tiny arms around her waist._

 _"Way to go, sis! You left them eating your dust!" Knock Out congratulated her, briefly tightening his hug right before let go._

 _"And they will keep eating it in the next_ Benefit 500 _…" She teased, posing, placing her hands on the sides of her hip and lifting her chin, while closing her eyes._

 _"And, then, the_ Speedia 500 _!" The sparkling cheered, with a blind faith in his sister's abilities._

 _The youngling chuckled before stroke her brother's head, and pass an arm around his little shoulders, while both of them started to walk towards the exit tunnel. Right… The famous_ Speedia 500 _, the crown's jewel of all Velocitronian races. As everyone, she wished to compete on it, at least once in her life; and, if possible, win it! Her sire, Hermes, was a three times champion; he was one of the most respected Velocitronians of Delta City (some would've even chose him leader of the colony due to his speed, but he refused and chose to propose to Starnova instead)… And she was his daughter, his first born… his heir. It was a lot to live up to…_

 _Silently sighing, she looked down to her little brother, who was as enthusiast about racing as anyone in the colony… Only one problem: his cooling system. The first time he tried to compete with some other sparkling, he overheated and ended in a clinic. If Solar Flare wanted to win, it wasn't just for her creators, but for her brother as well._

 _Suddenly, Knock Out grasped her hand, trembling._

 _"Flare…" He called, scared._

 _Four mechs were walking up to them. She knew them well… They were former competitors of her sire. They all lost in, at least, a race against him; and, the one that was leading them, used to court their carrier before she met their sire during a_ Benefit _race. Despite the femme never actually paid attention to his approaches, this mech always said that Hermes stole his sparkmate. The truth wasn't that, but, after having two sparklings, their creators didn't care about his undermining campaign anymore…_

 _Unfortunately, those who hated him couldn't let go as easily._

 _"Well, well, well… Isn't that Hermes's little glitch?" One of the newcomers said, while looking at the red little mech who was quickly pulled behind his sister._

 _"Stay away from us!" Solar Flare snarled, placing her hands on Knock Out's shoulders, making sure that he remained at her back._

 _The one leading the gang walked up to the young femme, while the others stood a few steps back. Solar Flare glared to the emerald green mech, who was old enough to be her sire, while firmly restraining her brother from coming out of his hiding._

 _The adult smirked._

 _"You're, undoubtedly, theirs…" He mumbled with a voice that sent chills down her spine. "Trying to become the next Hermes of the family, aren't you?" He mocked her._

 _It was then when the sparkling broke free from her grip._

 _"Don't touch my sister!" Knock Out yelled, punching the green mech on the back of the knee junction._

 _Because of the surprise attack, the adult fell onto the ground; thing that Solar Flare used to quickly slap him in the face, before grabbing her brother and hurry him to run away. The red sparkling complied immediately, but both siblings found themselves cornered shortly after._

 _Solar Flare saw in horror how those mechs snatched Knock Out away, while the emerald green bot restrained her. She struggled with all her might, kicking, squirming, screaming… But, to her horror, because of the strength with which he was yanked, the sparkling hit his head… and the youngling couldn't help him. Impotent, the femme started to cry, calling her brother's name._

 _And, then, the attention was back on her…_

 _Right when the other three started to walk up to where she was, Solar Flare saw Knock Out struggling to get up. His indigo blue eyes widened in horror when his gaze fell on her…_

 _Only one thing came to her mind…_

 _" **Run**!"_

 _The sparkling didn't want to, but he didn't have another choice…_

 _… The four mechs concentrated their attack on her…_

 _… She was thrown against a wall…_

 _… She powered off… the pain was too much…_

 _"Flare…! Sis! Flare!" Knock Out's voice sounded so distant, like an echo in the middle of some mountain passage…_

 _But it was enough to make her power on, briefly. Just to see her brother's teary face, looking at her from the brim of some bed…_

 _Wait._

 _She was on the bed, and the beeping she was hearing came from some machine on her right. There were some tubes connected to her._

 _The sparkling saw her optics lit up, and reached for her arm._

 _"You're ok, sis. You're safe now… You're going to…" He broke, resting his forehead against the stretcher's brim. "I'm sorry! This was my fault!"_

 _Silently, she stroked the top of his helm. She wasn't sure what happened… She only knew that she was lucky of being alive…_

 _Her creators appeared in the room, and hurried to embrace her, relieved of seeing her alive… But there was something else… She just knew it…_

 _Then, her sire took Knock Out away so he couldn't hear the consequences of the attack, and the nurses started to talk to her and her carrier. They explained the damage…_

 _And then her world fell into pieces, because she was told that, after that attack, she would never be able to participate in the professional races… such as the_ Benefit 500 _to which she qualified that very night…_

… … …

The storage room's door opened, calling the femme's attention.

The tall and glooming silhouette of Shockwave filled the entrance, as the cyclops walked inside the room, calling for her. The Velocitronian jumped off the boxes where she was sitting on, and prepared for her orders.

"Your brother succeeded. _Project Combiner_ is finally possible." He informed her.

"At last that little glitch became useful…" She snarled, crossing her arms and looking away from her boss.

"I require your assistance now." Shockwave quickly added, handling her a datapad. "Those are your instructions. You're to leave immediately."

Solar Flare dedicated a quick read to the text, and nodded. However, she soon claimed that, since Daybreak was now a prisoner of the Autobots, she would need a new bodyguard. The scientist considered her petition logical, so he nodded and started to leave while telling her to take Skywarp with her. Considering what he needed her to do, the purple Seeker was the best option; his abilities would be useful.

Soon enough, the femme found herself alone in the dark room once again…

Well, almost alone.

Glancing above her shoulder, the Velocitronian dedicated a disdainful look to the Wrecker's slumbering figure. It was hard for her to believe that Knock Out was capable of going this far for that femme.

* * *

Thundercracker was watching over the working surgeon and the Constructicons, reclined against a wall and with his arms crossed in front of his chest. The more he thought about the commander's and the scientist's plan, the more crazy it sounded for him. Seriously, why fight? Sure, they couldn't go back to Cybertron, but the war was over, and their planet was saved…

Ok, he could agree that remain in Earth _wasn't_ optimal, but nothing said that they couldn't ran towards some colony!

Suddenly, the cerulean mech was dragged back to the reality, when he saw his trine brother, Skywarp, walking down the hall next to that femme, Solar Flare. It was an unusual sight that made the older Seeker arch an eyebrow; especially, because he was sure that the purple mech told him that he hated that Velocitronian femme. "Weird…" He thought, while reaching out to grab his friend by his shoulder to stop him. The younger Seeker did so, and looked at Thundercracker with a quizzical look.

"Where're you going, 'Warp?" The older soldier asked.

"Mission… The One-Eyed-Scraphead wants me to partner up with her…" Skywarp explained, clearly annoyed, while placing his hands at the sides of his hip.

The cerulean mech cocked his head, frowning. Shockwave? But he wasn't their superior anymore! Now a little pissed, the older flyer looked at the Lieutenant, who was already introducing some coordinates into the space-bridge.

"Does Stasrcream know about this?" He asked, crossing his arms.

"His approval is irrelevant." Solar Flare answered, without looking at the mechs. Then, she opened the vortex. "Are you coming or what, Warpy?" She added, with her typical flirty behavior.

"Hey, nobody calls me that!" The purple Seeker complained, while walking towards the bridge. "Tell the commander for me, TC." He added, looking at the cerulean flyer from above his shoulder.

Thundercracker nodded, and watched the warriors disappear into the portal.

From inside the medical bay, Knock Out watched the whole scene. Shockwave was sending his people back to Cybertron? What for? The Constructicons were right there, meaning that he had nothing left back on their home planet… Or did they just got the scientist's plan wrong? Was there something they were missing? "The fifteen percent we don't have…" He thought, before shot a quick glance to the screens around him. If there was really something of vital importance in the research's part that they were missing, then he was in the right place to learn about it…

"We didn't told you to stop, traitor!" Bonecrusher warned him, clenching his fists.

Yes, Knock Out was in the right place, but it wasn't the right time; not when he was surrounded with 'Cons… Sighing, the surgeon kept working, wondering what was taking so long for the Autobots to invade the damn facility.

And his prayers were listened, for, as soon as he thought about Bumblebee and the others, a ground-bridge opened in the middle of the hallway, startling the red mech's captors.

« _Take cover, quickly!_ » Bumblebee's voice shouted through his commlink.

Having a very accurate idea of what was about to happen, the medic threw himself behind the first console he found. Kliks after a big box was sent through the vortex (which immediately closed), and it was beeping… Realizing what it was, the 'Cons tried to take cover too, but Wheeljack's grenades went off before they reached a safe distance. The explosion destroyed most of the med-bay and the space-bridge's controllers; it also stunned Thundercracker, who flew several feet away, hitting his head and one of his wings. The Constructicons were also in shock and scattered through the room.

Immediately after this first attack, the ground-bridge reopened, and the Autobots invaded the facility. Smirking, Knock Out got out of his hiding, and started to run towards the team. Unfortunately, one of the green and violet mechs managed to grab a hold onto him, pinning the medic against a nearby wall. The Velocitronian heard the screech of the metal as the towering warrior lifted him, scratching the wall with his back. He thanked that his species didn't need to breathe, otherwise, he would be chocking already…

"Knock Out!" Smokescreen, who noticed the position his friend was in, called out, while starting to run towards the red medic, hoping to help him.

But, when Scavenger got conscious enough to start using his blasters to repel the intruders, the Elite Guard and the others were forced to take cover. And things started to get worse, as the heavy steps of Shockwave started to be heard in the hallways, and the other Constructicons were coming to as well…

Grunting, hoping for a miracle, Knock Out took out his Energon prod and stabbed his attacker with it. His happiness couldn't be described when the weapon decided to work, sending a high voltage current through Bonecrusher's circuits. The overcharge made the 'Con turn off long enough for the Velocitronian to take Scavenger by surprise, and ran towards his friends, who quickly pulled him behind their line of defense.

However, as soon as the medic noticed that they wanted to force him into the ground-bridge, the red mech pressed his feet against the ground as hard as he could, trying to stop Bulkhead from throw him into the vortex.

"What're you doing?! We gotta go!" The green Wrecker complained.

"Not without Sunscorch!" The mech retorted, angrily, breaking free. "I'm not losing her twice!" He stated, glaring at the green bot.

Bumblebee, seeing this, dedicated a pleading look to Elita. She knew what he was doing: he was begging her for permission…

A missile that passed a millimeter away from her face, brought the pink femme back to reality, in which Starscream was helping his Seeker to get up, while aiming at her. Behind the flyers, Shockwave was blocking the way. Their time was running short, they had to leave! But, when she looked back, the femme noticed that none of the Wreckers was capable of force the red medic to return to base.

Either they rescue the Decepticon's prisoner, or he wasn't moving…

Elita sighed.

"Five kliks! Ironhide, you with Bumblebee!" The pink femme ordered.

That said, the bulky red mech charged against the three bots that were standing on his way, while warming up his cannons.

It wasn't a pretty scene for Starscream and Thundercracker to have the weapons specialist running towards them like an angered bull ready to gore them with its horns… And, despite they tried to stand their ground, both Seekers ended up jumping out of the way, leaving Shockwave on his own. Fortunately for him, the scientist was unable of feel any fear; that way, he was capable to fight back, trying to shoot down the red mech. But he didn't count with Ironhide firing first.

The warrior successfully shot the scientist's cannon, breaking it. Next step: get close enough to break his face… A nice good punch, and Shockwave was taken aback several steps, only to later find himself wrestling with the Autobot, who smirked. Understanding, the one-eyed 'Con looked above his shoulder, realizing that, thanks to the red warrior's commotion, none of them paid attention to Bumblebee, who was now running towards the storage room, followed closely by Knock Out, who joined him in the rescue.

Both, the law enforcer and the medic, hurried to unlock the door and enter the room. "By Primus…" The yellow bot thought when he ended face to face with a functional stasis pod, inside of which, a tall femme was being kept. So that was Sunscorch… Sighing, he called for Smokescreen. He would need help to carry this Wrecker out of there…

The blue mech left the fight in the control room to assist his friends.

Meanwhile, Elita and Chromia were keeping the Seekers at stake, until they noticed that the six Constructicons were almost ready to attack. The femmes exchanged a quick look, before nod and tell Arcee and Wheeljack to protect the bridge; then, they looked at Bulkhead.

"These flies are yours, big guy!" Chromia yelled.

Then, the cerulean femme stood still in front of her superior officer, activating an energy shield; meanwhile Elita answered the fire from behind her friend. Despite it didn't hurt them, the six mechs didn't approach their attackers, because Hook and Long Haul were still a little dizzy for the stasis gas; besides, their chest-plates were still open, so protect those two was a priority for Scrapper and the others. At least, at the moment.

"This plan is illogical. Suicidal even." Shockwave commented, still wrestling with the weapons specialist.

"What were you expecting? It came out of a former 'Con…" Ironhide commented, before connecting a kick with the scientist's midsection that forced the violet mech to bend over. Then, he knocked him out with a well-placed punch. "But I have to give him some credit. It's working better than I thought." The red mech added, shrugging.

"Ironhide!"

Bumblebee's voice made him look towards the storage room, where the young warrior and Smokescreen were struggling with a stasis pod. Knock Out was with them, and it was obvious that he wanted to help, but his broken arm didn't let him. Understanding what they needed, the large bulky mech grabbed the vessel and charged it over his shoulder, before telling the other three to open his way. Nodding, the two warriors deployed their blasters.

Concentrated as they were on Bulkhead, none of the two remaining Seekers noticed about the Autobots that were running towards them from behind; until it was too late and they didn't have time to stop Bumblebee nor the Elite Guard from tackle them. By the time they were starting to get up, Ironhide stomped on them while yelling a loud "Excuse me!", followed closely by Knock Out.

Seeing that her men were regrouping, Elita ordered to fall back and return to base.

Without any more complains, the whole Autobot team ran into the ground-bridge, until only the pink and the cerulean femme remained in the lab's control room.

"Go, I cover you!" Elita ordered to her best friend, who nodded and went through the portal.

In the distance, the remaining femme saw that Shockwave was regaining consciousness, and so were the Seekers; however, her main problem were the others… Looking at the med-bay where the Constructicons were readying their weapons, Elita took out her blasters and aimed at them… but promptly readjusted her targeting and shoot towards the ceiling, which cracked with the bomb's explosion. Four or five good shots, and the roof fell on top of the six mechs who ended up trapped under the rubble. "Have fun unburying them, Cyclops." She thought before jump into the green vortex that closed behind her.

At the other end of the ground-bridge, Elita was received by Chromia's hug.

"You worried me…" The cerulean warrior admitted.

"Sorry, Chrom." The pink femme said, returning the embrace and unmasking her face.

But, then, the taller femme let go from her friend, and smacked her on the arm.

"Hey!" Elita complained, massaging the limb. "That… actually hurt."

"Don't you dare to do that to me again! You almost gave me a spark attack!" Chromia started to yell, pointing an accusatory finger towards her best friend. "I thought you were behind me!"

"Um… Sorry?" The femmes' leader said, arching an eyebrow.

Only then, Ironhide took his mate away, and the pink bot was able to see another scene: Knock Out was kneeled down, holding Millie against his chest-plates, while the little girl was plastered against his armor with her arms opened. It was the closest thing to a hug between a human and a Cybertronian. The other three children were next to their respective guardians, in similar positions, while Ratchet was inspecting the stasis pod and its passenger.

Millie couldn't describe her happiness when her friend reappeared. She even started to cry when she saw him, and started to run towards the red bot, who gently let out his good hand for her to climb on. Her tears stopped falling only after he understood that she wanted a hug, reason why he pulled her up, and close to his chest. Too bad that he was so big and she so tiny… But it was good enough as it was.

"Alright… This is weird…" Wheeljack commented from behind, after witnessing ten minutes of hugging between a former 'Con and a human little girl.

Knock Out growled at the poorly timed mock, while getting on his feet, still holding the little girl in his hand. Seriously? He had to joke about his friendship with a human girl right when he was honestly happy of seeing her again, safe and sound? Ugh… The white Wrecker had no sensitivity; and he would've said something about it, if it wasn't because Nightglider walked up to him with a relieved face.

"It's good to see you still in one piece, K-Out…" He said, gently patting his friend's good arm.

"Same here, 'Glider." The medic retorted with a smile. "But, why weren't you in the battle?" He asked, arching an eyebrow. Honestly, he thought that the black mech would be one of the first ones to pop out of the ground-bridge.

"Elita's idea: someone should stay behind and protect the base." The flyer explained. Then, he looked at the pod, and his face changed completely. "You really found her… After so long…"

The Velocitronian simply nodded, but remained silent, watching how Ratchet asked Ironhide and Bulkhead to take the stasis pod to the med-bay where he could treat the warrior properly. After two million years of being kept in stasis, the femme's systems could be reaching the critical point. The old medic knew that he couldn't wait any longer to wake her up, however, he would, also, have to be as careful as possible; the smallest mistake could derive into a massive malfunction that would power off the femme… for good.

Preparing two stretchers, the white and orange bot told the warriors to place the pod in one of the tables as carefully as they could. Once it was done, he started the opening sequence, and prepared some medical equipment to treat the femme. He was doing this when the vessel opened with a soft click, revealing the unconscious figure of a deep crimson female Cybertronian, whose biolights were already twinkling. "She has been in power down for too long…" Ratchet thought with a sigh, and grabbed a transfusion machine too. He had to give her some Energon, otherwise…

Asking for some help, he told Ironhide and Bulkhead to grab the warrior and move her, from the vessel to the stretcher. The red warrior grabbed the femme by the armpits, while the Wrecker did it by the legs; at the count of three, they placed her in the second medical berth, and Ratchet attached some tubes to her arms. One of them was providing her with Energon, while the other contained medicine to counteract the effects of the long stasis. Only then, he started to run some scans on her.

From outside, the kids saw it all in awe, never thinking that the oldest of the bots could move so fast. The Autobots, however, exchanged a quick look before watch the red medic's figure. Even when she was already safe, Knock Out seemed to have become a statue; he was just standing there, with Millie yet on his hand, and his eyes fixated on the red femme that was lying on the medical bay…

* * *

Starscream was deciding whether to terminate Shockwave or not. They already dug out the six Constructicons, but only to realize that the treacherous medic never finished the repairs; reason why _Project Combiner_ was nothing more than a theory. Also, they figured how did the Autobots managed to find their base: the Velocitronian mech introduced a virus in their system, right under their noses! And, as if it wasn't enough, the silver grey Seeker got to know that the chief scientist sent Skywarp to a mission on Cybertron _without consulting it with him_!

His patience with the violet mech was reaching its limit…

He could forgive that Shockwave treated his trine as his personal workers, since he freed them, and they agreed to work for him if the scientist agreed to save _him_ in exchange. They made a deal, so it was fine… But now? They were no longer his little pawns! They were _his Seekers_! His!

"I knew that I should've obliterated that narcissistic medic when I had the chance! This is **_your_** fault, Shockwave!" Starscream roared, while accusing the one-eyed 'Con with a sharp claw. He was pacing up and down in what was left of the control room. "We lost our base of operations, our communication with Cybertron, and your precious weapon, all because you didn't allow me to get rid of that glitch-head!" He kept going, completely ignored by the scientist, who was more than busy checking the Constructicons, crouched next to Hook. The scene exasperated the air commander, who frowned, gritting his teeth and clenching his claws; his arms firmly glued to the sides of his body, and his wings standing up at his back. "Could you, at least, pretend that you're listening to me?!"

Shockwave turned to look at him so fast that the silver grey Seeker was taken aback by the action; especially because the violet mech also got on his feet. Then, without saying a word, he walked up to the wrecks of their space/ground-bridge, and examined it. The damage was extensive, but it wasn't anything that he couldn't repair. The cloaking system, on the other hand, was a priority. Without it, the chances of the Autobots bridging themselves in again was alarming. He had to jam the frequency in which their ground-bridge works, or face the chance of another invasion. Also, he had to repair the lab…

It was too much work for one Cybertronian.

Fortunately, the Constructicons had their name for a reason: they were all laborers before they joined the Decepticon army…

Shockwave turned to talk to them.

"Long Haul, start cleaning the medical bay."

The green mech, frowned, narrowing his eyes, while emitting a long low growl at his orders. But got on his feet and started to work anyway, while mumbling something like: "I joined the army just to be a garbage collector… Awesome…"

"Scrapper, you and Starscream will help me to repair the space-bridge and the control room." Shockwave kept saying, completely ignoring the curses that the previously named Constructicon was dedicating to him.

"What?!" The Seeker yelled. "First, you treat me and my trine as mere servants of yours, and, now, you're telling me to help you to fix a problem that **_you_** created!"

"Your scientific knowledge, though limited, is required." The violet mech insisted.

"Oh, brother…" Thundercracker mumbled, facepalming, at the use of 'limited' to define his commander.

Starscream could feel his system indicating an overpressure, and the warnings that said he should let go some steam, but he refused, and starting to growl.

'Limited'? He?! He, the star student of the War Academy of Cybertron?! He, the prodigy son of the military city of Vos?! He, who was known for being as crafty about science as he was in the battlefield?! Who did Shockwave believe he was?! Some useless dumb soldier?! Some stupid Vehicon?! If he became the Energon Seekers' commander was because of his abilities, not because he looked pretty on the job!

If it wasn't for the cerulean mech's hand, quickly grabbing him by the shoulder, Starscream was sure that he would've ripped the chief scientist's head off in an instant. But his Seeker reminded him the position they were in: Skywarp was stranded somewhere back on Cybertron, in the company of an unstable femme that would (most certainly) backstab him if the situation became complicated. And the purple mech wasn't known for being smart enough to get out of problems by his own… Yes, as much as he hated to admit it, he needed that space-bridge back online ASAP. If not, nor him, nor Thundercracker would be able to rescue their idiotic partner when he needed it (because he was pretty much sure that he would commlink them any time soon, begging them to run in his rescue).

Sighing, swallowing his pride ―at least for now…―, the air commander agreed to help the scientist.

This wasn't over yet…

* * *

It was late night already, and the base was in complete silence, since the humans went home (Millie was returned to the hospital with the promise of be brought back to base next morning), and the bots were recharging after have endured a complete medical check, and a very long report from Knock Out, who apologized for have failed. As long as Shockwave had that fixed regulator, he could finish his experiment himself… However, Elita reassured him when she mentioned that she destroyed the medical bay. It would take long for them to recover their equipment.

Anyway, what really confused them was to hear that the 'Cons sent two of them back to Cybertron; an action that nobody was able to justify, not even Miko who was the queen of crazy theories…

"At least my own quest is over…" The red medic thought, while silently gazing at the slumbering crimson femme. Her spark-beat was constant and regular, and so were her vents; her Energon levels were slowly reaching a normal amount, and her biolights were stabilizing. Hopefully, it wouldn't take long for her to wake up. Only then they would be able to make further tests that would reveal if there were any side effects for her long period in power down.

Checking his own chronometer, Knock Out realized that it was two in the morning, and that he should be asleep since over four hours now; so he gently grabbed Sunscorch's right hand, chuckling a little when their servos connected. It has been so long since the last time they touched, that whenever he stablished contact with this femme, there was a part of his processor saying that this was all a dream.

Well… He couldn't deny that he wished so. If it were, then, he might be able to wake up, back in some field clinic; or, better yet, in Iacon's clinic, where he would find Breakdown, still alive, still paranoid, hiding from Rung, too embarrassed to attend his appointments. Then he could go to the warehouses at the city boundaries, and ask for this femme. That's right… Like his best friend, Sunscorch was a laborer, a heavy-lifter, before the war started. He could find her there, and they could meet like normal persons. No war, no treason, no two million years of being apart… Just a normal relationship.

He found himself chortling at the idea. "And here I am, imagining utopias like some troubled teenager who hates his life…" Knock Out mocked himself, before look at Sunscorch's face again.

"Welcome back, sweetspark." He said to the femme, gently pressing his forehelm against hers, before walk out of the medical bay.

At long last, they were together again. Hopefully, this time, they would remain that way…

* * *

 **That's all for now! Thanks for your patience, guys!**

 **Let me know what you think of this story so far! I'll be back soon enough!**

 **See ya!**


	35. THIRTY THREE: Countdown

**Hello again, guys! How're you doing? I'm amazingly happy of having my PC working again! Yay!**

 **Before anything, I want to explain something, due to a message I received: yes, I know that, in RID 2015, the Council is a fishy thing (they degraded Bumblebee from war hero to a mere cop, put the Decepticons into prison ships instead of having them on the planet, made sure that nobody could bridge off the planet by making the space-bridge a museum item, and, last but not least, _vanished_ Ratchet for defending Optimus's name!). I based the Council from my fanfic on it, that's why they are constantly watching Ultra Magnus, and seeking for reasons to get him out of the way; especially because the population, major part of them being war survivors, likes the Wrecker better than them. And, yes, they want to go back to the old politic and social system.  
**

 **I hope it explains why the Council is so mean in my story.**

 **Seeker3 : This goes for you:**

 **The Autobots were readying themselves, as the silhouettes of the Constructicons approached at max speed; behind them, Shockwave and the Seekers were preparing their weapons as well. This was going to be their last stand...**

 **The transformation sound of the T-cogs echoed in the road, and the green and purple Decepticons got in position, reaching out for each other, connecting their joints, until their bodies' shape changed completely, and, in front of the Autobots stunned eyes, a titanic Cybertronian rose up. It was impossibly huge! Starscream's laugh filled the air, mocking the frightened faces of his enemies, who didn't know how to react when the gestalt lifted his foot to stomp into them... but suddenly wobbled to the side, and started to walk away from the scene.**

 **"Huh? What just happened?" The grey Seeker asked to Shockwave, who shrugged. He couldn't come up with an explanation for that either.**

 **For some weird reason, Devastator kept clumsily walking away from the battle. It was almost as if he didn't know where to go.**

 **"Um... Guys? Does anybody else notices that he's missing his** ** _head_** **?" Smokescreen commented, pointing at the strange emptiness between the gestalt shoulders.**

 **Thanks to the Elite Guard's mention of it, both factions noticed a small green figure running after the Combiner: Hook. The poor warrior didn't reach his companions on time, reason why he couldn't complete the combination... and fell off when Devastator rose onto his feet. Now, he was helplessly running after his team, yelling them to wait for him; all in front of the other Cybertronians, who didn't know what to think of it... Especially when the gestalt stepped into a gas station.**

 **Starscream facepalmed next to Thundercracker, Skywarp bended over in laughs, Shockwave shook his head in disapproval; and the Autobots simply stood there, watching the whole scene with a WTF expression plastered on their faces. Only Elita-One reached for her commlink, warning Fowler that a headless Combiner was on its way to Las Vegas.**

 **... Okay, I'm quitting the sugar for a while after this. XD**

 **By the way, Knock Out and Millie thanks you for the hug!**

 **Sympathy Effect : Thanks! It's so good to be back!  
**

 **Haha! Yup! I always tend to imagine Ironhide as some sort of big and sarcastic warrior, who can crack a joke in the middle of the fight, just because...**

 **And, sorry for breaking it to you like this but... you'll have to wait a couple more chapters before see what happens with that hint (though I'm sure you already figured it out). Also, despite that the 'Cons may not see Daybreak's use any longer, I can assure you, our favorite traitor will soon provide some vital information to our bots (yeah, Solar Flare should've rescued him when she had the chance...).**

 **Knock Out didn't mean to make those guys attack his sister harder, he wanted to protect her (without notice that he was like a ten years old kid trying to wrestle with a forty years old professional fighter... But his intentions were pure), and felt terrible when he saw where it led to. However, since they never talked things through, the grudge between siblings is already too deep, and Flare just can't stop blaming him for her luck. On other news, though Sunscorch is now safe and sound in the Autobots' base, she won't be awake for a little while, so you'll have to wait for her complete reunion with Knock Out...**

 **But you'll have your Cybertron chapter right away! Speaking of it, perhaps you should take lessons in Cybertronian code with Raf, after all, it practically is his second language! XD**

 **P.S.: I saw _The Little Prince_ , and I absolutely LOVED it! At first I wondered how they managed to make a story out of that book (because it doesn't have a storyline for a movie, though its message is beautiful); but, I must say it, whoever wrote the script nailed it!**

 **Agent Fowler : Um... How fast can you evacuate Vegas?**

 **Megatron and Bumblebee : Now, now, guys. Don't fight.**

 **Don't worry, I wouldn't be able to write in IDW style not even wanting... I haven't read much comics, and the few I checked didn't convinced me. They killed Bumblebee! *Hugs the yellow mech* Though it was funny to see Starscream fighting with Windblade over and over. Oh, and, Megs? Um, Optimus wasn't really happy about the pink dye in his shampoo... If I were you, I would check my stuff before going into the wash rack... Just saying...**

 **From now on, you'll see a lot of cuts between scenes; all of them happens at the same, ok? I needed to do it to pay an equivalent amount of attention to all characters and side lines of story... Sorry about it.**

 **Warning: English is not my mother language, so there might be some grammar mistakes in here. Sorry.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own _Transformers_ franchise, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **THIRTY THREE: Countdown**

Ultra Magnus incorporated in a jump as soon as he regained consciousness, only to be restrained by his subordinate Prowl, who was standing next to his berth. The presence of the black and white law enforcer called his attention, since he remembered that he was in company of Drift when the attack took place… Only then, the blue mech realized that he wasn't in Kaon any longer, but in a consulting room, back at Iacon's clinic. Still a little startled, he inspected his torso, finding a large patch where Thundercracker's missile hit him. Sighing, finally calming down, the Wrecker laid down while asking to his companion what happened after he passed out.

"The Seekers took the Constructicon back to Earth, and I haven't been able to communicate with the team, sir." Since the last time, the Academy's chairman put guards to watch over the control room. Any activity in there was registered, reason why, the cop couldn't ask any more favors to his younger brother. "However, I think I have deciphered why that mech was at Darkmount, and why he was so important." Prowl started explaining, while taking out a datapad. "I have finally decrypted the research: it's about _Project Combiner_."

Recognizing that name, the older mech incorporated once more, and slid his legs off the stretcher, ignoring all warnings. If that idiot was planning to make that theory a reality, he had to warn the others! Council or not Council, he wouldn't allow his friends to be terminated by some freakily gigantic Cybertronian!

Unfortunately, his legs weren't yet on its best shape, reason why he fell on his knees as soon as he tried to stand up, and required Prowl's help to return to the stretcher. He cursed his own body… He didn't have time to play the wounded patient part; he had friends in mortal danger back on Earth, and it wasn't in his nature to leave them in need. He had to do something… anything…

Good thing that he almost fell off the berth again, or he wouldn't have notice the presence of a third figure in the small room.

Next to his subordinate, there was a pretty young femme, whose age must've been similar to Bumblebee's judging by her big expressive eyes. She was slender, and her armor wasn't as thick as his or Prowl's; so he believed that she wasn't a soldier, however, the rifle that she had hanging at her back told him otherwise. She was a sniper. Her white and light grey helm had waves that resembled short hair, being brushed by some wind, and she had a magenta visor, which, when not at use, opened in half, following the head's curve. Her whole torso, and upper legs were white and light grey, with some lavender detailing; but her shoulders, and lower legs were magenta. She didn't have doorwings, and her four tires were either on her calves, or her shoulder junctions. A lavender Autobot insignia was proudly carved on the collar that surrounded her neck.

Ultra Magnus didn't recognize this femme, so he simply turned to look at Prowl, hoping to receive some explanation.

"She is…"

"My designation is Galatea, sir." She interrupted the law enforcer. Her voice was nice and even, but really young. "I served as a sniper for the femmes' army, and remained under Firestar's command after Elita-One's and Chromia's disappearance." The femme introduced herself.

Then, she bowed her head with her eyebrows furrowed in shame.

"I came here to apologize, sir… I'm afraid that… That I have been informing the Council about your movements…" She added.

The commander's eyes widened in surprise. She was the Council's spy?! But she was merely a youngling! In fact, he wouldn't have believed her words, if it wasn't because she soon surrendered a datapad to him, in which the Wrecker could read the report that she was meant to give to those old good-for-nothing politicians; it was about the day he got attacked at Darkmount. Apparently, she resigned her job as spy, as soon as she saw the Seekers trying to kill him and Drift.

"I'm terribly sorry, commander… For a moment I thought that…"

"No need to apologize, soldier. You were merely doing your job, and the fact that you were able to follow me for so long talks very well of your abilities." Ultra Magnus interrupted her, actually complimenting her merits. After all, for someone like this femme, become a second shadow of a former Wrecker couldn't have been easy…

* * *

It was one of those good boring days that Kup hated the most… Since this new Council assumed the power, old soldiers like him and Hound were designated to watch over the prisons. If he didn't need the job to earn some living now that the war was over, he would've given a little piece of his mind to those useless bots… After all, the only thing they were doing was sit down at the control room and keep their eyes in the security footage. The only exciting event they had was when Skywarp escaped, and then returned for his trine brother, Thundercracker; and that was a long while ago! He was a mech of action, not a babysitter for criminals!

The lights flickered as the power core seemed to fail for a couple nanokliks that made both veterans arch an eyebrow and share a quizzical look. Something was not right…

There shouldn't be fluctuations in the power flow, so, either something broke back at the engine room, or someone was tempering with the circuits. Better call some guard and tell him to go and check it out; but, as soon as Hound pulsed the communicator's button, the security cameras went down. Ok, definitely they had an intruder. Huffing, Hound grabbed his guns and said that he would make a round, looking for anyone out of place; then, he walked out of the room. Kup, meanwhile, started to try to make the cameras work again.

He didn't like this… He had too many memories of similar situations. None of them were pretty; and, in all those times, he ended shooting his way out, only to wake up at some medic's table. Then, there was a massive power failure.

"… Okay. This is going from bad to worse…" Kup muttered in the darkness of the room, before finding a flashlight, and his rifle. "Hound, do you read me?" He called through the commlink. Nothing. "Hound, are you alright?" Static. "Hound! Don't scare me like this, you, rusty bastard! Answer me! Over!" Silence. "Slagging scrap!"

Kicking the chair where he was sitting kliks ago, the old soldier attached the flashlight to his rifle and walked out of the control room with his finger on the trigger. Hound couldn't have gone too far before the energy failed. He had to find him before the inmates who, if he had to guess, were taking some serious advantage of the situation, and were storming towards the closest door at that very moment.

The old veteran advanced, slowly toward the nearest staircase that leaded to the sublevel, where the cages were. When the light beam of his flashlight allowed him to see it, the Autobot plastered his back to the wall and walked the last few steps to the gate with his gun against his chest and pointing up. When he reached the doorframe, he took a deep intake before jump out of his cover, aiming downwards. Yet, he didn't find any enemy waiting to jump at him… but Hound, leaking, at the staircase's feet.

"By the Matrix!" He hurried next to his friend. The military green bot was alive, wounded, but alive. Inspecting Hound's injuries, Kup realized that his friend got multiple cuts. Nothing too deep, though he was leaking a good amount of Energon. "Oh, man… I gotta get you outta here." He said, while reaching for the soldier's right arm to pass it around his shoulder; but a soft sound at the other end of the room called his attention.

He was standing on a long hallway that was filled with scanners, to make sure that nobody entered the cell's level with unauthorized objects. At the end of the corridor there was a thick and large reinforced door, locked with three different passwords. It was, after all, a max security prison. The guys that were caged behind that gate were the most dangerous that their society ever met…

Did one of those people escaped confinement?

Quickly as a lightning, Kup grabbed his gun and got on his feet, while waving his flashlight from one side to the other, looking for any intruder. That's how he found a slender, short, and kind of attractive young femme of champagne colored armor, standing at the other end of the hallway. She was looking down, so he couldn't see her face.

However, he didn't needed to look into her eyes to know that she was a Decepticon. The insignia on her shoulders was more than enough.

"Stay where you are!" Kup ordered, removing the safe from his gun, and walking up to the intruder. She didn't move. "Don't try anything fishy, 'Con…" He warned her.

The femme chuckled and looked up, smirking.

"Veterans… You should know better." She said.

Alarmed by this, realizing that he just fell on a trap, Kup tried to turn around, but it was too late… His gun was slapped away from his grip, and a second intruder immobilized him. The flashlight, which twirled a couple times on the floor, finally stopped, bathing him and his captor with a white clean light. It was a Seeker of purple armor.

The femme approached.

"Give me the codes, and I will let you live." She said, deploying a long sharp sword.

" _Tch_ … There's no power, darlin'… The door won't open like this." Kup retorted, unimpressed. It wasn't his first time as hostage…

She chuckled… and pointed the sword at his face. It was a warning.

"Don't try to trick me, 'Bot…" The femme threatened. Then, she grabbed him from the neck and pulled him down to her level. "Now, we both know that these doors, and the max security cells has a secondary power source to prevent them to open in case of a blackout. So, veteran, what's the code?"

No matter how much pain she inflicted him, nor how many times these 'Cons threatened, Kup simply refused to talk. But, as some knocks and yells started to be heard at the other side of the locked door, the old soldier started to become nervous: that noise indicated that the low security risk cells went open, and the inmates were now running free. And, since he hasn't heard anything from the other prison guards, the grey Autobot guessed that he was the only one who remained conscious…

He was a tough one, sure; but he couldn't hold back a hold freaking army single-handedly! His only hope was to set free from this Seeker's grip, take down the annoying femme, and, somehow, call for reinforcements.

There had to be someone left!

It was then when the purple mech that was restraining him got attacked from behind, and he was capable of break free. Surprisingly, Hound managed to pick himself from the floor and aim his blasters to the 'Con, despite of his blurry vision. However, he fell down on his face almost immediately after…

"Thanks, bud…" Kup whispered, before hurry to grab his rifle.

The strange femme barely moved, and simply placed a hand on the side of her hip, arching an eyebrow towards her partner.

"Seriously?" She muttered.

"Ugh… You're no flyer! You don't know how sensitive this things are!" He complained, while pointing at his wings, where he received the shot.

"Don't. You. Slagging. Move." Kup ordered them, aiming his gun towards the two intruders.

The Seeker complied and rose his hands… the femme didn't. In fact, she actually transformed her left hand into a blaster, and shot at the Autobot with such speed that the old soldier doubted it for a minute; but, as the shot hissed near his head, burning his shoulder-plate, he had to admit that it did happen. It took him a klik to recompose, but it was enough for her to run up to him, and kick the gun off his grip. Without the flashlight, Kup didn't know what his attacker was doing exactly, though he could know where she was due to her red optics, which were shinning in the darkness of the room.

Only one thing came to his mind: he couldn't let her hit first! In a desperate move, he tried to punch her, but his fist only hit the air, as the femme moved off the way… and stabbed him in the shoulder joint at the same time. Then, she did the same with his legs, and, finally, Kup was on his knees… helpless…

He heard her light feet walk towards the flashlight, only to grab it and go back to the old warrior. As soon as the light beam showered him, the mech analyzed his wounds. Nothing too serious. Painful, but not serious. If he could make it to the front door and plea for a medic, then he would be fine.

"Now… Let's try again." She grabbed him by the face, forcing him to lock his eyes with her. "Give me the codes, and I won't…"

"Kill me?" He interrupted her. "Sorry to break it to you, sweetspark, but you're not the first 'Con who makes me that offer…" The soldier mocked her. "And you hardly will be the last one…" He added.

The femme chuckled.

"I know. That's why I'm not threatening you…"

A groan made Kup look at the staircase, where the Seeker was pinning Hound to the floor by putting his right foot on the veteran's chest-plates. The intruder was aiming his guns to the Autobot's head.

"I'm threatening your friend."

* * *

Back at the base located on Earth, Knock Out was at the medical bay, looking at the sleeping figure of Sunscorch, while Ratchet run a few scans on her. The Velocitronian went straight to that room as soon as he woke up, fearing that the events of the day before would have been a mere dream; but it wasn't, and the Wrecker was truly there. "Two million years… Yet, she looks exactly the same. This is going to be hard to explain…" He was thinking, while realizing of all the events that he will have to explain to the warrior, as soon as she opens her eyes. First of all, he would have to announce her the end of the war; second, he would have to explain why his optics and biolights were red now… No. Wait. Maybe the explanation of his faction affiliation should come first and he war's end announcement later… Though she might beat the scrap out of him for what he did regardless of the order…

Only then the red medic realized something: all this time, Sunscorch has been kept in power off, unaware of the events taking place around her. Many things changed, and most of the people she met is no more, even Breakdown; once she comes to, she would have to endure one of the biggest shocks of her life, because she's still the same, but the world around her is completely different… even her mate was different. Knock Out didn't truly think about it until now, since he thought she was terminated; but, now that he knew that it wasn't the case, how was she going to feel under this new circumstances? Well, Ironhide and the others were doing fine; but his case was different: he was put to sleep next to Chromia and Elita, and he was just good friends with Optimus and the others…

But he and Sunscorch…

The femme would wake up and be informed about the war and everything, sure, even if he wasn't there. She would also be told that he was alive and well, if not by Ratchet, then by Nightglider; then she would probably feel happy to know that he survived… but she would be expecting the old Knock Out, the one who was a Neutral, not… _him_.

He loved her, and he will always do, there was no doubt on it; however, will she return his feelings after she realizes how much he has changed? Or, maybe, it would be better if he just disappears from her life? After all, it will hurt her to notice what he has become. "Idiot me…" Knock Out thought, sighing and covering his eyes with his good hand.

Ratchet noticed this and, raising his eyes from the scanner's screen, arched an eyebrow at the Velocitronian. But, before he could ask him if there was something wrong, the children entered the med-bay using the catwalks.

"And this is the medical bay, which is also the lab. When it's being used to attend patients, Ratchet dyes the glass, so we can't see inside." Jack appeared, explaining at the person behind him.

A little girl appeared in the room, following the teenager. It was Millie, who was finally out of the hospital, dressing a white tank top, and a denim outfit composed by a light jacket and a short skirt, under which she was wearing a pair of pink leggings. She had white tennis on her feet.

The little girl was looking everything in awe, while Jack kept giving her the tour. Everything was so big and different from anything she has ever known! However, her whole interest concentrated on Knock Out's figure as soon as her eyes landed on him, and a happy smile appeared on her lips as she ran towards the safety riel to greet the bot.

The red medic returned the greetings with a smile.

"So, you're finally, and officially, out of the clinic, huh?" He commented, receiving a nod. "I'm glad."

"I'm giving her a tour around the base, since she's the new member of Team Prime." Jack commented with a smirk, tucking his hands on his jeans pockets, and shrugging. "We still have a lot to see." He added, looking at her.

"New team member? So it's decided already, huh?" Ratchet said, looking at the teenager.

"Yeah, Fowler took the call last night. She has seen your race, so…" The boy explained.

Millie then looked at the tall bot that was lying at the stretcher, softly venting, as if she was in some deep sleep. Cocking her head to the left, she turned to look at the red mech again.

"Is that the friend you lost?" She asked.

Knock Out looked at the femme.

"Her name is Sunscorch. I thought that she was…" He closed his eyes and sighed, not wanting to finish that sentence. Then, he turned to look at the human girl again. "Do you want to see her closely?" He asked, receiving a nod.

Smiling, the Velocitronian reached out for the human, who carefully jumped into the bot's hand, allowing him to carry her from the catwalk to the side of the stretcher, where she had an up-close view of the femme's face. She had to admit that she looked fearsome, especially with that scar that crossed her features; but, given that everyone seemed to trust her, she decided to do it too.

Suddenly, a part of Millie wished for the femme to wake up soon, so they could get to know each other.

… … …

At the same time, Nightglider was standing outside the room where they were keeping Daybreak prisoner, wondering what the heck he was doing… Fifteen minutes ago, he was at the training room, next to Bumblebee and the Wreckers, having fun; but, right when he was about to defeat the law enforcer, he received a message… from his brother. Frowning in suspicion, he first decided to ignore it, but, as his twin kept insisting, the flyer finally decided to go and check what he wanted. Ever since Ratchet discharged him, the Autobots shoved him into a vault, and kept him there.

Sighing, the black mech crossed his arms in front of his chest, while glaring at the thick door that separated him from his twin.

This had to be the stupidest idea he ever had…

"I'm here, Daybreak. What you want?" He asked, rudely and frowning.

"Can you open the door, 'Glider? I can't talk to you like this…" The cerulean mech pleaded, inside of the room.

Nightglider huffed and shook his head, with a bitter smirk on his lips. Of course… How could he been so stupid?

"Yeah, right. I will open the door, right after I enroll myself in the Decepticon army, and swear loyalty to Megatron…" He said, sarcastically, while turning around to leave. If that was all his brother had to say, he didn't see why to stick around.

"I have information about Shockwave that could interest you!" Daybreak yelled, desperate.

"And I have the feeling that you're just making this up, only to see if I will be fool enough to let you out!" The black mech retorted, walking away. "Stay in there and rust in peace, for what I care…"

"I heard you last night! You said that Shockwave sent two people back to Cybertron, didn't you?! I know why! Just… Please, bro!" The prisoner hurried to yell through the door.

Nighglider stopped walking, and turned to look at the vault with wide eyes. Was he saying the truth? If that was the case… No. He had to go for Bumblebee and the others. This was their team, and their investigation. He only collaborated with them in order to catch his treacherous twin brother; and, he already did that. Now, all he had to do was stay close until they could send Daybreak to marshal court. Nevertheless, the black mech also knew that, if he brought any other bot to the interrogatory, the cerulean flyer would never talk.

Sighing, hating himself for what he was about to do, the Autobot opened the door and entered the poorly littered room, where his twin was being kept. The cerulean mech looked at him with hopeful eyes; his hands were cuffed, preventing him from using his weapons. The small room prevented him from using his wings. He received Nightglider, who closed the door immediately after entering the small space, with a hint of happiness.

The black flyer took out one of his blasters, warning his brother to keep his distance.

"Talk. I'm listening." He said.

* * *

Skywarp was yet surprised of how fast that old grey soldier grabbed his buddy and ran to look for shelter when the doors opened, and a wave of very pissed Decepticons stormed towards the prison's exit. It wasn't an everyday sight, but it made him laugh out loud for a good pair of kliks… Until Solar Flare threatened with cutting off his head if he didn't shut up. Damn… What was wrong with this chick? It was totally hilarious! He never saw two Autobot veterans run so fast in his life! What was wrong with him enjoying the view?

But the Velocitronian wasn't in the mood of fooling around, and she simply ran towards the lower levels, looking for the extremely dangerous prisoners, who were being kept separately from the others, and whose cages didn't open with the blackout. After all, she had a bunch of idiots to recover from that cesspool…

The long hallway was illuminated with red lights, which evidenced that the system went into emergency mode; and, despite it earned the interest of the prisoners, not all of them were truly paying attention to the noises of commotion that were coming from the upper levels. In fact, there was a red mech who was simply sitting on his small bunk with his legs and arms crossed, pouting, hearing his companions exchange theories, while he remained completely silent…

Of course that, when someone shot at the door's lock, even this completely uninterested prisoner jumped off his seat and ran out of his cage.

Out in the hallway, a small, champagne colored femme, and a purple Seeker were standing. Her blasters still steaming, while her eyes moved from one prisoner to another, as if she was looking for someone on particular. In fact, this weird femme was counting them.

Realizing that the persons she was looking for wasn't there, she frowned.

Meanwhile, the purple mech was already running up the stairs, only to stop and turn at midway, when he noticed that she wasn't following him.

"Um… Sorry for interrupting your calculus, but… SHOULDN'T WE BE LEAVING?! We broke into a prison, you know?!" The Seeker reminded her, while gesturing towards the exit.

"I'm with that guy! Let's get outta here!" A yellow mech of red optics said, while gesturing everyone to run… Only to be stopped almost immediately by the champagne colored femme, who kicked him in the chest to prevent him running away. "Hey, what the…?! You're the one who freed us!"

"Only because my boss said so." She said, narrowing her eyes and deploying one of her swords. "There's two more of you. Your team leaders, where are they?" The femme asked, looking at everyone.

"One level under us." A black and violet mech of purple eyes answered, pointing at a staircase behind him.

Nodding, the femme started to run towards it, ordering the Seeker to keep up. The flyer mech seemed unamused by having her giving him orders… And the yellow bot she just kicked, seemed even more pissed by the idea of having his boss running free once again.

"Whoa! Stop right there, sweetie!" He said, getting on his feet and grabbing her by the wrist. "We're perfectly fine with knowing that he's in chains, thank you very much."

"Yeah! Who needs that maniac?! He's a pain in the aft!" Another mech, of black and red paintjob, complained.

The femme frowned before twist the yellow mech's arm, breaking free; then, she kicked him on the face, before charge against the second Decepticon, who couldn't react on time. Thanks to it, he found that she wrapped her legs around his neck, using her weight to make him lose balance; then, she let go right before hit the floor. And so, while he fell flat on his back, she made an elegant roll and stood up, placing her hands at the sides of her hips.

"Let's make this clear, glitch-heads…" She started to say, while narrowing her eyes. "I'm a lieutenant, I'm your superior officer, and you will do what I say, because I say it without asking me for reasons. Understood?" The others nodded, unable to retort, since they were still trying to understand how she moved so fast. "Good. Now move your afts!" She said, while running downwards.

Except for the Seeker that came with her, none of the mechs moved.

"Man, I think I like her…" A green, bulky 'Con mused out loud.

"Make yourself a favor, Brawl: don't think. It's not one of your strengths…" A 'Con who had chopper blades on his back commented to his friend, while patting him on the back.

The black mech of purple optics followed the two intruders, next to a small yellow one, followed closely by Brawl and the other guy. The only ones who didn't move were the other three mechs of different colors who were talking about living behind their team's leader, and who exchanged a quizzical look, wondering what to do. Work with that guy again wasn't in their plans, not after the last time; but, if that femme let him out, and they weren't around, he would kill them without hesitate…

Suddenly, the shiny red guy sighed and started to walk towards the stairs that the others took. His teammates couldn't believe it, and yelled in surprise at his determination of letting that idiot out. The yellow guy grabbed him by the arm to stop him.

"What're you doing, Dead End?! This is our chance to get outta here and leave him for good!" He said, not really understanding the red bot.

The other mech simply shrugged and made a tired face.

"With Motormaster, without Motormaster… It doesn't really matter…" He said, and kept walking towards the lower level. "I have the feeling that none of this will end well…" He added more for himself than for the other two, who finally decided to tag along, just not to get immediately executed by their boss…

* * *

The Autobots were having a meeting at the control room, next to Fowler and the kids. Nightglider asked the team to do it, because his twin brother told him something that, if it was true, meant that the situation was far worse than estimated…

And it was indeed, because, according to the cerulean mech, Shockwave didn't have just one combiner, but _three_ ; all of them functional… at least in theory. Since he never could calibrate the regulators to make them work as a secondary bumping system, the whole thing never went beyond from a hypothesis.

"Wait! Are you telling me that there are two Cybertronian giants sleeping, back on your planet, just waiting to be awaken?!" Fowler asked, arching an eyebrow, and trying really hard not to hyperventilate.

"Not… sleeping, but unassembled." The flyer said, scratching the back of his head. "As I understood, Megatron needed more active soldiers at some point, so he sent these two teams back to the battlefield; meanwhile Shockwave put the Constructicons into stasis and kept them out of the Autobots' reach." He explained.

"Well, the list of volunteers _is_ larger than the Constructicons' team…" Wheeljack commented with a shrug, placing his hands at the sides of his hip.

"Any ideas of who these two teams are?" Elita asked to Nightglider, who nodded.

"Daybreak mentioned the Combaticons and the Stunticons." The black mech said.

That was when Knock Out's face went paler, while his optics grew wider in fear. His processor was running faster than any Velocitronian racer, with only one plea: that the cerulean twin were wrong, and that Shockwave wouldn't have been crazy enough to combine _those guys_.

"Hey, you okay?" Bumblebee asked to the red medic, while placing a hand on his right shoulder.

"No… And if Daybreak is right, none of us will be." The Velocitronian said, looking at the cop.

"Mind to elaborate?" Ratchet asked, arching an eyebrow.

"If I had to define the Combaticons, I would simply say 'blood lust'. Those guys loves to fight; the battle is their whole life, and it's all they can think about. Unlike the Constructicons, who were laborers before joining the army, they're, and always were, mercenaries, who wouldn't hesitate in rip off our heads." The red mech said, before take a deep vent to talk about the others. "The Stunticons… Well, I can define them with only one word: 'madhouse'. Each and every one of them has a mental illness; and, the worst of the four is Motormaster, their leader. He's a complete sociopath, who feels no empathy at all. For him is the same to break a rock than to smash one of us."

"You seem to know these guys." Ironhide commented, crossing his arms.

"As with the Constructicons, I have only heard about the Combaticons through the files…" Then, he sighed. "Unfortunately, I cannot say the same about the other team… Motormaster got me and Breakdown into the army. Apparently they were needing a replacement, and Breakdown was the kind of mech they were looking for…" Knock Out looked at Bulkhead at this point with apologetic eyes. "The only reason he accepted the offer was because of me… I now really wish he didn't. Maybe, that way, he would still be here…"

The green Wrecker had to avert his eyes.

… … …

 _He still remembered that battle: they were winning, chasing away a Decepticon battalion, when some big, black mech came out of nowhere, followed by three smaller 'Cons. The Vehicons and other warriors that they managed to kick out of the Autobot outpost celebrated their arrival; and, as soon as those four guys started to kick their tailpipes, he knew why… After a couple kliks, only he and Breakdown, who was nothing but a Neutral back then, were still standing. Bulkhead took care of some crazy black and red mech, while the blue laborer hammered a yellow warrior in the face… repeated times…_

 _They were panting in exhaustion when, finally, the team's leader decided to step into the battle. He punched Breakdown in the face, and kicked Bulkhead in the stomach, sending both mechs rolling several feet away from where they were…_

 _"Ugh… You okay, Breaky?" Bulkhead remembered asking to his friend, who was struggling to collect himself from the ground._

 _"Yeah, sure… Huh… Just gimme a klik… I'm kinda seeing two of you right now…" He said, blinking several times._

 _"You'll live." The green Wrecker laughed, getting on his feet to continue the fight. Breakdown did the same. "You sure you can keep going?" He asked, looking above his shoulder._

 _"I can do whatever you do. Only better." The laborer joked, smirking._

 _The black Decepticon readied himself for the battle, and the two mechs charged at him, who quickly counteracted Bulkhead's punches with a kick on the abdomen. Fortunately, Breakdown caught him, and stabilized his friend; so, in no time, both of them resumed their attack._

 _"Too bad you two are Autobots… I could use your strength." The Decepticon said, while blocking every punch and kick that the two mechs were throwing at him._

 _Suddenly, at that commentary, the blue mech's eyes widened, as if something returned to his memory; and, biting his lip, he glanced over to the Wrecker who was standing next to him. But Bulkhead didn't notice the change in Breakdown's face on time… Only when the blue laborer attacked him from behind after whispering something. Before losing consciousness, he heard Breakdown asking to the black mech how could he enter to the Decepticon army…_

… … …

The green Wrecker, sighed and came back to reality, only to look at Knock Out, saying that he now understood. That he would learn to leave it behind… and to forgive his old friend.

The Velocitronian nodded, hoping, deep inside, that this would at least save some of Breakdown's memory and reputation.

"If all this is true, we must send the alarm!" Ironhide stated.

"To who? As far as we know, Ultra Magnus is recovering from a shot to chest, and the Council isn't with us for this one, so… Who's going to listen?" Arcee asked.

"What about Smokescreen's friends at the Academy? They've been useful before…" Chromia said, placing a hand on the side of her hip, and pointing at the Elite Guard with a movement of her head.

"I can send the message in our old joke-code. Nobody but us will be able to read it." The blue mech conceded, nodding.

* * *

There was a big fuss outside the consulting room where Ultra Magnus was in conference with Prowl and Galatea, reason why the blue mech send the law enforcer to check what was going on. The white and black bot nodded and left the room, following the noise. It seemed to come from the entrance, so he rushed towards the front door, where he found a big round of nurses and some medics applying first aid techniques on two old soldiers who he knew through X-Brawn: Kup and Hound. This last mech was leaking too much Energon, and wasn't responding to the reanimation.

"We're losing him!" The nurse attending to him cried, while another came up with a set of stretchers.

"Hurry! We must put them into intensive treatment, right now!" The newcomer medic yelled, while grabbing Hound from the armpits, and indicating his assistant to do the same.

Another set of medics was readying to translate Kup as well. His wounds didn't seem so bad, so he would probably make it; in fact, when he was put onto the stretcher, he opened his optics, and recognized Prowl's face, though he hadn't seen him in eons. But the police enforcer badge that was proudly shown on the lad's door-wings was enough for the old bot to try to reach out for his help, weakly stretching a hand towards the young cop.

Understanding, the law enforcer walked closer to him, knowing that something really bad must've happened for Kup to be in this shape. But, regardless of his mistreated husk, the old soldier still had his strength, and, so, as soon as Prowl took his servo, the grey mech pulled him closer.

"The prison… is taken… Prisoners… free…" He managed to say, before fell unconscious again. He went beyond his own strengths to bring his old bud, Hound, to safety. He hoped that the young bot understood the message, because his systems were shutting down due to his exhaustion. He hoped he could've given him more details, but… This would have to do…

And it did. As soon as he heard the veteran's message, Prowl called to headquarters asking to give him a report about the prison in which Kup was assigned; at the same time he started to walk back to Ultra Magnus's room… Right when his Energon froze on his veins.

* * *

"FRAGGING SLAG! SIDE BURN! COME IN HERE! **_NOW!_** " Hot Rod yelled through the commlink, while jumping off his seat.

The orange and golden mech was, once again, boring himself to rust, when a message from Smokescreen popped up in the screen. The title was only one word: 'Emergency', wrote with their old joke-code, so he opened it believing that it was just that… a joke. But when he started reading, he knew that it wasn't, and that this all must be somehow related to Side Burn's mysterious messages to Earth from a while ago.

As soon as the blue Elite Guard appeared in the room, complaining because of the shouting he received, Hot Rod yanked him from the doorframe and placed his friend in front of the screen where the message was being displayed. The younger bot gasped in horror, while taking a step back, shaking a little, and denying with his head.

"Holy scrap…"

"THAT'S IT?!" Hot Rod cried, thrusting his arms upwards, and with a horror expression on his face. "THREE FRAGGING COMBINERS MAY SHOW UP ANY KLIK NOW, AND THAT'S ALL YOU CAN SAY?!" He kept going, pacing from one side to the other, gesturing like crazy. Panic was taking over him. "WE'RE FRAGGED!"

"Calm down, Roddy!" The younger warrior pleaded, by grabbing his friend by the arms and shaking him to make him snap out of it. "We need to think this through!" He told him.

Nodding, the orange and golden Autobot took a deep vent, and tried his best to regain his cool. Yes. His friend was right; this wasn't the moment to lose their heads, they needed to stay calm and think. Ok, so: there were big chances for a couple of murderous Decepticons, to be trying to set free a bunch of 'Cons who were the parts of a Combiner… But they couldn't combine at all, if they kept them inside their cages.

"Ok, your brother is a cop. He must know where these guys are." Hot Rod started to think logically… for once.

"Or he can find out…" Side Burn corrected him. Yeah, sure, his brother was a legend among the policemen, but he wasn't a freaking walking Encyclopedia (though he was a close strong second…).

"Call him. Tell him about this." The orange mech said, while walking out of the room. "I'll will go to the chairman, he might…"

"Woah! No!" The younger Autobot hurried to say, and stopped his friend by grabbing him by the arm. "He's with the Council! They will arrest my brother for helping the commander!"

"Then what are you suggesting to…?"

"When my bro got attacked on Darkmount, a guy called Jazz saved his aft. Try to see if you can find him with the Academy's database, meanwhile I'll call Prowl."

* * *

The lowest cage level was almost pitch black, with only the force fields illuminating the place, and the prisoners. There were only two Decepticons being held there, both mechs; one of them, the one of red visor, had pale blue paintjob and two massive cannons attached to his back; the other one, of purple optics, was really tall, and had a pitch black armor. Both of them were marked with the faction sigil, and cuffed from hands and legs. The noise upstairs made them look towards the room's entrance, wondering what was going on, and why the place went into emergency mode.

The glint of a champagne colored armor attracted their attention really quickly to a femme of red eyes, who was in company of a Seeker that they believed terminated, and one of the pale blue mech's men: Blast Off. This definitely gave away that she was trying to bust them out of jail; and that was enough for him to like her.

"Why didn't these cages open?!" The Seeker growled.

"Another security measure, no doubt." She sneered. "So? What're you waiting for, Skywarp? Get in there and get them out, or…" She ordered.

"You want me to warp inside of that teeny-wheenie room?! Are you out of your mind?! There's not enough space for me! I would just end up warping inside of the freaking wall!" He nagged.

"Oh, by the love of…" Tired of hearing excuses, the femme simply transformed her right servo into a blaster, and aimed to the lock.

"Wait! It might not work!" A yellow mech of purple optics warned. "I heard the guards saying that shooting at the locks wouldn't open the cells. Some security backup created by some nerd…" He said, while approaching the panel. "You have to hack it properly, and…" He inserted some numbers and letters, and the cages opened. "Ta-da!"

"And how did you get the passwords, exactly?" Skywarp wondered, arching an eyebrow and crossing his arms.

The pale blue mech chuckled, while stretching his numb limbs, making his neck junction crack a little at the movement.

"Swindle can get you anything you need. Going from info, to hard to find valuables… You just name it." He said, walking out of the cell. Then, he looked down at the Velocitronian. "Name is Onslaught." He introduced, before placing his index under the champagne colored femme's chin to make her look up at his optics. "And you are…?"

With amazing speed, she not only slapped his hand away, but also placed a sword on his throat; action that made all the Combaticons pull out their guns, aiming them at her back. Skywarp took out his own blasters as well, and ordered them to stand down, while growling and cursing under his breath. If it wasn't for what Shockwave might do to him if Solar Flare was terminated, he wouldn't have problems with this; but, if he returned to Earth without the femme, and with these guys gloating about their recent killing… Well, he might become an experimental subject again. And the first time wasn't pretty…

Meanwhile, Onslaught was in a stare off with the femme, who smirked.

"My designation is Solar Flare. And if you wish to keep that hand, you won't touch me again…" She warned him.

The Combaticon copied her smirk. She had spirit… He liked that.

"If you two, lovebirds, are done; it's time to get outta here." The black mech that was in the cell next door said, while walking past the group. "Stunticons, move your afts." He added, while marching towards the staircase.

"Yup… He's back…" The yellow Stunticon commented, narrowing his eyes.

"I heard that, Drag Strip." The unit's leader said from the staircase.

It was then, when Solar Flare grabbed Skywarp's arm and ordered him to warp upstairs. Then, she hurried to cut the black mech's path.

"Not so fast, Motormaster. There's one more stop, before I take you to my boss." She threatened, pulling out both of her swords.

"And, this boss of yours, has a name?" He asked, crossing his arms.

"Shockwave."

* * *

Prowl was inches away from the consulting room's door, when suddenly, his commlink pinged. Surprised, he picked up the call, recognizing the voice of his younger brother almost immediately; however, he was talking so fast that he couldn't understand a word of his blabber, and Side Burn didn't seem to calm down any time soon. It was a bad sign. Only very few things could make the youngest triplet behave like this, and none of them were good…

Finally, he managed to make the Elite Guard take a deep breath, and focus in the main reason of why he called. It has been the same their whole life: while Prowl only needed to use one or two sentences to stablish his point, Side Burn had to narrate a whole novel… X-Brawn, on the other hand, rarely talked about his problems. He usually found the way out of them by his own…

Sighing, the white and black mech asked Side Burn to repeat his message.

* * *

Jazz was walking towards the Council's room, followed closely by Drift and Crosshairs. The three of them were meant to report their advance. He chuckled at the word. Advance, yeah, right… As if he made any…

Ever since he returned to Cybertron, these old bags of rust sent him to hunt down the Dinobots, fearing that they were still on the planet. As if anything would've survived in here for so long, without a drop of Energon. No… They probably ran out of the planet as soon as they had the chance, as everybody else did. And, anyway, what was the point of hunting them down? Even when Shockwave held them prisoners and experimented with them, they were still Autobots! They deserved to live in this, or any other Cybertronian city, as much as they did!

Sighing, he opened the building's door and put up his best neutral face. If this meeting wasn't better than the past hundred ones, he would definitely quit… He would probably feel happier by being a regular law enforcer, like Ultra Magnus. At least he wouldn't have to deal with this good for nothing rusty asses…

"Um… Boss?" Crosshairs suddenly called. "What you make out of that?"

Peeking above his shoulder, the white mech noticed a horde of bots storming towards the city. He frowned behind his visor, knowing that he never saw so many Cybertronians converging in one place ever since the war was over. Alarmed, Jazz walked towards the security riel that demarked the road that leads to the Council's tower, from where he could have a perfect view of the newcomers. Forcing his optics a little, he got to see that these mass's eyes glimmered in multiple shades of red. "Oh, my goodness… This can't be right…" He thought, walking away from the riel and running back towards the town, while gesturing his partners to come along.

And that's when his commlink pinged.

"Who's this?! I don't have time to-!" Jazz roared, when a stranger's voice appeared screaming his name through the communications device.

« _Then make time! This is urgent, lieutenant!_ » The voice of a young mech roared at the other end of the call. « _A trustworthy source just sent me very concerning information about the Decepticons'_ Project Combiner _! Apparently, Shockwave figured a way to make it a reality!_ »

Jazz stopped on his tracks, reason why his two partners almost bumped onto him ―fortunately, Drift had good reflexes… Unfortunately, Crosshairs didn't, and ended up bumping into the knight's back. It was as if the lieutenant just froze on the spot, as he started to hyperventilate. Then, he looked at the horde, before look at the other side, towards the city. Only one name in his processor: Ultra Magnus. His constant trips to Kaon suddenly making sense for Jazz. "Scrap!" Gritting his teeth, the white mech transformed and ordered his men to recruit as many Autobots as they could, and to meet at the clinic. Then, he drove away.

This information… It had to be wrong. Please, let it be wrong!

* * *

 **P.S.: If any of you has played _Batman Arkham Asylum_ , you will see where I got my inspiration for the prison's break... Kup's pretty much playing Gordon's part here, with Solar Flare as the Joker and Skywarp as Harley Quinn (it should be the other way around because of the genders, but it fits better this way due to their personalities...) XD  
**

 **Let me know what you think!**

 **See ya!**


	36. THIRTY FOUR: Regroup the Army!

***Staring at the screen in disbelief* Am I reading this correctly? 72 reviews? Wow! Thank you so much, guys! Thank you for stay around!**

 **Seeker3** **:**

 **Ha, ha! Glad you liked the mini-story!**

 **Um... No, I'm afraid that the Autobots won't have Combiners of their own. Once again, I have something else in mind; something that I hope you'll like. Sorry for disappoint you... But I hope that you'll like the way this fic will end, despite of it.**

 **Bumblebee** **:**

 **You're welcome! Ha, ha! Wow, Optimus's revenge was a good one! Just... Try not to call Megatron too much, he seems pissed.**

 **Sympathy Effect** **:**

 ***Standing inside a Cybertronian candyshop* Huh... *Takes out her cellphone* Hey, Optimus, it's me, Calliope. Just wondering... Do you know what kind of candies does Ultra Magnus like? ... What you mean you don't even know if he likes candies? Who _doesn't_ like candies?! Ugh! Just... Tell me what's the Cybertronian equivalent of chocolate or something! Aha... Ok. Got it. *Hangs up and picks up a big box from a corner* I hope this are the right ones. *Buys the box, writes something in the white card that hangs from it, and sends it through mail* Ok. It's done.  
**

 ***Goes back to her computer***

 **You'll have to wait to know where the hint leads. I'm writing it right now ;)**

 **By the way, no, a Combiner can't see in five different ways (that... would be a little creepy...); but remember that, in my fic, Shocwave enhanced them, reason why they're bullet-proof. That's why the bots are so desperate to stop them, because if it's hard to keep them under control when being of a normal size, it would be a total nightmare for them to fight them once they've become a freaking giant!**

 **And, yes... Their firepower is, also, enhanced.**

 **Megatron :**

 **What you mean it wasn't you? Then... who's the prankster that's putting dye in everyone's shampoo?! *Nightglider appears in the background covered in an almost radioactive shade of green* Holy shit! My poor baby! *Hugs the OC* Alright, I'm fed up with this! Megs! If you find whoever is behind this, then lend the moron to _me_. You might be a warlord, but I'm a fanficker; and, trust me, for fictional characters, I'm the scariest thing around here...**

 **Ultra Magnus :**

 **Hello, sir. I hope you like your treat... since I had no clue of your favorite flavor, and had to ask Optimus and the others for advice... Yet, they wasn't sure either... Commander, with all due respect, try to socialize with the other Autobots. At least a little.**

 **Now, people, I'm sorry to tell you this, but we're two chapters and one epilogue away from the end of this story; so, brace yourselves. I'm planning some twist around the end, concerning the main character, and some others who haven't appeared yet.**

 **Let's keep going!  
**

 **Warning: English isn't my mother language, so there are big chances for you to find grammar mistakes in here.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own** ** _Transformers_** **franchise, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **THIRTY FOUR: Regroup the Army!**

Prowl stormed into the room, panic wrote all over his face, his spark-beat unstable, and his whole body shaking. Ultra Magnus, seeing this, knew that something beyond terrible must've happened during the cop's absence, reason why he got off the stretcher, questioning his subordinate with the eyes; even Galatea seemed to be confused by this, since her jaw gritted and her eyes widened at the mech's appearance. What happened in this few minutes so terrible to leave this bot in such state?

"S-Side Burn just called me…" The white and black mech started, with trembling lips. "Smokescreen sent him a message from Earth. Shockwave figured how to perform _Project Combiner_ , and he has already recovered the six Constructicons…" He said, entering the room, looking for the nearest chair to sit down. "And, to make it worst, the prison where the other two teams were being kept just suffered a break…" Sighing, he looked up to the commander's eyes. "Sir… I'm afraid that we're about to suffer an imminent atta-…"

Suddenly, the cop's speech was interrupted by the noise of an explosion and the screaming of the nurses. Chaos took over the clinic.

"Sometimes, I hate to be right all the time." Prowl muttered, while taking out his blaster. "Sir, please remain in here; you're not yet in conditions to…"

"Soldier, when you achieve the rank of commander or general, I'll follow your orders. Until then…" Ultra Magnus took out his blaster. "I'm the officer in charge. Are we clear?" He received a nod and a salute.

The blue mech smiled at it, and looked at the young femme.

"We might need back-up." He commented.

"Sir, it'll be my honor." Galatea said, taking out her rifle, and putting it in automatic.

"Let's go!"

* * *

The clinic's reception was already a chaos when things became worse: someone literally shot the door out of its hinges, and it flew right towards the desk where the receptionist was, where it landed, trapping the poor bot, who soon found itself shielding below the furniture to avoid the impact. Meanwhile, everybody else ran to look for cover, when a bunch of nine Decepticons entered the clinic, heavily armed; and, the fact that some of them had a psychotic smile on the lips wasn't helping to some of the patients' and stuff members' nervousness.

Even worse, after those maniacs, a femme and a Seeker entered the building. She, looked at the desk and made a gesture to the bulky green mech that was standing next to her.

To the receptionist's horror, this 'Con pushed the door and the desk away, revealing him.

"P-please…! I'm a Neutral! I don't mean any harm!" He pleaded, feeling his back cornered against the wall.

He was really tiny compared to the intruders, who simply laughed at his helplessness.

The femme walked up to him, and, crouching, grabbed him by the throat.

"I know you're not dangerous to us, sweetie…" She chuckled, before take out her blaster, and put it next to her prisoner's head. "Now, you have three nanokliks to tell me where the mech designated Ambulon is, before I decided to use you as target practice." She threatened.

First Aid, who was nearby, hiding behind some stretchers that fell down during the explosion, heard this and, looking towards the hallway, he wondered what to do. If he left his hiding to go and warn his friend, there were big chances for him to get killed; he couldn't use his commlink either, or these people would shoot him where he was standing. "Oh, for Primus's sake, First Aid! Be brave once in your life!" He told to himself, before look for his opportunity to get up and run towards the storage room, where he last saw his friend.

On the way, he bumped into Ultra Magnus and two more bots who were on their way to the main entrance.

"We heard an explosion. What's happening?" The Wrecker asked.

"D-D-D-Decepticons! They broke into the clinic! Ambulon! I must warn him!" The nurse said, while breaking free from the commander's grip, and running down the hallway. "They're after him!" And, then, he disappeared behind a door, towards the storage rooms.

Greeting his teeth, Ultra Magnus turned to look at Prowl and Galatea, and ordered them to evacuate everyone, while he bought them some time. The two younger bots tried to refuse, but the blue mech didn't leave them other choice as he started to run towards the clinic's entrance. Sighing, the cop patted the femme on the shoulder and gestured her to start sweeping the building, and taking everybody out of there.

* * *

Drift was speeding towards a residential building where one of his old acquaintances was living at the moment; and he was followed closely by Crosshairs and a good friend of his, some whack-job known as Whirl ―honestly, the knight has seen more sanity in an asylum… ―, the only one who strangely didn't mind to face a whole freaking army on his own… Sighing, the white and orange car stopped and transformed at the building's entrance, where a cerulean mech was already expecting them, next to three towering bots. Crosshairs, transforming behind Drift, looked at the three strangers with wide eyes. They were taller than the clerks!

The knight shook hands with his friend.

"Blurr! It's been a while!" He said, happy of seeing his friend alive.

"Yeah. I figured that if you finally called after so long, it must've been because something terrible happened." The cerulean bot blabbered with a smile.

"Huh… You got a word of what he said?" Crosshairs asked to Whirl, who was standing next to him.

"Beats me." was the only answer, next to a shrug.

"Blurr is a speedster. He… tends to speak that way…" Drift explained, scratching the back of his head. "You'll get used to it." Then he looked at the three strangers. "You said you recruited some people, were you talking about them?"

"Yup. These are Rapid Run, Midnight Express, and Railspike. We met each other when I ended in a ship filled with refugees." Blurr introduced the three mechs, before turn to look at the others. "We're still trying to find someone else. _Please_ , tell me you've got better luck."

The knight had to shamefully shake his helm. No. He didn't know many Autobots, and the few he met were either terminated or out of reach. Unless he gained access to a space-bridge, there was no way to bring Atlas and his men all the way from New Crystal City; and, even if he somehow could contact them, convince the old knight to leave his people and come to help would require some time, which they didn't have.

It was then when Whirl said that he knew someone who _loved_ to get his hands dirty, and suddenly opened a commlink, before anybody was able to stop him.

* * *

Well, it didn't took much to Ultra Magnus to earn the Decepticons attention; all he had to do was shot one of those guys, and, of course, see the plasma bullet bounce off. "Great… More enhanced ones…" He thought, gritting his teeth. He didn't need to ask to know that these people were more guinea pigs from Shockwave, so, the only question for him was: were they part of _Project Combiner_ as well? Time to find out. Now waiting for the intruders to answer the fire, the commander threw himself forward, only to get intercepted by some femme, who, grabbing him by the right shoulder, maneuvered around him, until she make the mech lose balance. However, as soon as she attempted to attack, the Wrecker shot her off him; unfortunately, this didn't let him see the incoming kick from Skywarp.

Ultra Magnus's head was ringing by the impact, but snapped out of it, blocking the next hit with both forearms, before force the Seeker to step back, by digging his claw on the purple mech's ankle. The 'Con yelped in pain, but managed to shake off the commander by hitting him in the wound he had across the chest.

The blue mech grunted and fell on his knees, while the Seeker regained balance.

"How comes that every single time I come to Cybertron, **_you_** show up!" Skywarp complained.

"Recurrent nightmares. It happens…" The commander said before getting up, and deliver a left hook right on the Seeker's face.

And the lights were out for Skywarp…

Seeing this, the other nine 'Cons exchanged a look, before concentrate on the blue mech who was facing them. Of course they all heard about Ultra Magnus, one of Optimus Prime's more trusted men, and a former Elite Guard who was put in charge of the Wreckers. His rep was impressive… But he never faced a Combaticon before. Chuckling, Onslaught walked up to the Autobot, while telling Motormaster that his team would take care of the commander, while the others searched the medic they were looking for.

Without objections, and without saying a single word, the tall and creepy black mech gestured his team to start moving, and the four Stuncticons disappeared inside the clinic's hallways. All in front of Ultra Magnus's impotent eyes, since he found himself cornered by the five Combaticons… and the strange femme, who took out her swords. "Prowl, you better hurry…" The Wrecker thought, before engage all the enemies at the same time.

* * *

First Aid couldn't find Ambulon in the storage room, where he saw him minutes ago, and he wasn't picking up his calls. Where could he go?! Maybe Pharma knew something about the missing medic. Hoping so, the young mech started to call to his mentor, only to almost get shot in the head by some black and red 'Con, who was smiling like crazy. "N-no… Please no…" The nurse pleaded, trembling in fear, and desperately looking for somewhere to hide. Unfortunately he was at the hallway's end, and his only exit was behind the maniac who was pointing at him with a gun.

Unable to do anything, First Aid closed his eyes and hoped for it to be quick… Only to find out that someone pushed the intruder out of the way, and hurried to grab him by the arm, before lead the scared nurse away from the danger. Opening his eyes, First Aid couldn't hide his happiness when he realized that, who saved him, was his friend Ambulon. He was alright! However, there was no time to celebrate, as the shadow of another Decepticon appeared in a wall, right in front of them, cutting their way.

Thinking fast, the older mech pushed his friend inside the nearest room, and locked the door from the inside. It was one of the consulting rooms that were being repaired, reason why it was dark, and filled with trash. The sound of steps growing closer made them cover the door's glass with the first rag they could find. Then, Ambulon pushed the nurse until both of them were hidden behind a pile of equipment.

"You ok?" The medic asked to the younger mech.

"I… I need m-my collection…" First Aid admitted, trembling like an earthquake. He was at the verge of a mental collapse.

"Okay, okay… We're gonna to be fine. Try to calm down, now. Deep vents." The older bot started to coo the nurse, while placing both his hands on his friend's shoulders.

Slowly, the youngling's pulse started to normalize.

A pound against the door, made the older bot instinctively grab First Aid and put him behind his back, while looking at the entrance. It seemed that they were trying to pry the door open. Scrap! If those guys entered…

Biting his lip, Ambulon mentally cursed his luck. At first, he aligned himself with these people because he needed to get off the streets; he was desperate, and he learnt to deal with the Decepticons and their cause. But nothing could've ever prepared him for that night… For what Shockwave wanted to do… And he never regretted to have switched sides. At least, with the Autobots, although not fully trusted, he was respected, and that was all he ever asked for.

Another pound on the door. The lock was about to give in. "Serves me well for have been part of this madness…" He thought, while looking around, hoping to find something, anything, that he could use as a weapon. Ever since he became a medic for the Autobots, Ambulon resigned his guns. All he had now was medical equipment…

It was then when he saw the air conditioner vents on the roof. Perhaps, First Aid and he could escape through there; and, if not, at least the youngling.

"Alright, get up! We gotta keep moving!" The medic said.

"Move?! Move where?! We're trapped!" The nurse panicked, as the door started to break.

"The vents in the ceiling, you should fit in the ducts! Now, stop talking and climb onto my shoulders!" While ordering this, Ambulon crouched, allowing the younger bot to reach his back. But the kid never moved. "What are you waiting for? A formal invitation?! Move your aft, kid!"

"But you won't fit…"

"I've been in the battlefield, you haven't. I can waltz all around these morons and get out of here on my own." He was lying, and he knew it. But it was the only way to make First Aid think about his own safety, and get him out of the room. "Now move!"

Finally, the nurse got onto his friend's back, and, then, he climbed upon his shoulders, reaching the vent, and climbing in. Once safely inside the duct, First Aid reached down for Ambulon, urging his friend to grab his hand; but the medic refused… He was too heavy for the nurse. If he tried to pull him up, the only result they would get was both of them lying on the ground. No. It wasn't his way out of there…

The mech outside, growled, and the noise of a blaster warming up reached Ambulon's audio-receptors. They were getting in…

"Come on! Grab my hand!" First Aid tried one more time.

"Cover the vent and crawl out of here…" The medic refused again.

"I can't just leave you here!"

"Yes, you can; and you _have to_ , because there's no way for you to pull me up there… And there's no physical way for me to fit inside of the duct." He stated, after seeing how troublesome it was for the smaller bot to get inside the vent.

"But…!"

"Get your aft out of here, now, First Aid!" Ambulon finally snapped, his red optics focusing in the stubborn mech.

"But they're after _you_!"

There was a moment, in which something close to pure horror crossed Ambulon's faceplates, right before something blew up the door. The expansive wave wasn't strong enough to take down a bot, but the noise forced both First Aid and Ambulon to cover their audio-receptors. The intruder finally made it through.

Paralyzed, all that the youngling could do was shiver in fear, and watch as the black and red mech from the hallway, the same that was aiming at his face kliks ago, ran towards his friend and started to hit him mercilessly… until the medic fell unconscious. Then, the stranger started to drag him towards the exit.

First Aid hated himself for being so helpless…

* * *

Dead End stormed inside a consulting room where a mnemosurgeon was getting ready to work on his patient. No. It wasn't the mech they were looking for…

"What the-?! Get out of here, before I decide to wipe your memory clean!" The tall and orange surgeon said, while taking out the needles from his fingertips.

The red Decepticon stood still, looking at the Autobot without moving a muscle.

"Can you start with the one of my boss?" He asked… and, to the mnemosurgeon, it sounded almost like a plea.

It was then, when someone tackled the 'Con from behind.

The Stuncticon fell on his face, with a white and black mech firmly holding onto his back; at the same time a young femme entered the room, telling everyone to evacuate, that the clinic was under attack. The answer was immediate: the surgeon nodded, grabbed his patient, and got out the door.

"Keep going! I take care of this one!" Prowl yelled to the femme.

"You sure?" She wondered.

"Go!"

Galatea nodded and kept searching for more people to evacuate.

Unfortunately, thanks to his little distraction, Prowl lost grip on the Stunticon, who freed himself, and kicked the law enforcer off him. Then, he took out his blaster, before the white and black mech recovered… but, before open fire, he grabbed a rag and cleaned a smudge of grease that he saw on his armor. _Then_ he shot. The cop dodged the incoming attack, by rolling on the floor; and, once he was able to stand up, he took his blaster and aimed… only to find that his opponent was cleaning another black spot on his finish…

Prowl arched an eyebrow.

"Seriously?" He couldn't help but ask.

The red mech simply shrugged, before making sure that he was clean. With a satisfied nod, Dead End got on his feet and engaged the Autobot in combat.

* * *

A call came through the mainframe, at the Autobot base located on Earth, making the team share a quick look before answer it, hoping that it was good news. However, when the scared eyes of a young mech of orange and golden armor appeared on the screen, the bots knew that it couldn't be anything good…

"Hot Rod!" Smokescreen called out, while getting closer to the screen's camera. "What happened?! Did you get my message?!" He asked.

"Yeah, we got it! And I hate that you were right, Smoke!" The Elite Guard answered. "We're in serious trouble up here! Someone let all the 'Cons free, and they're storming towards the city; not to mention that your Combaticons and Stunticons took over the clinic!" He informed.

"By the AllSpark!" Ratchet gasped at the news. He had friends in there!

"Side Burn is on his way there. It seems that his brother was at the place when it happened…" Hot Rod commented.

Then, some noise made the orange bot look away from the screen, at the same time that a raspy voice was heard in the background. Smokescreen stiffed at it, since he could recognize it anywhere: it was the Academy's chairman. Oh, boy… If that old creep finds out, they all would be in a good trouble. In no time, an old rusty mech of dark violet armor with black protoform, appeared in the background of the videoconference, while Hot Rod started to apologize, saying that he could explain the whole situation…

But the old chairman didn't want to listen. He was the eyes and ears of the Council inside the Academy, and, for so, he frowned and started to leave saying that the proper authorities would know about the young guard's actions.

It was then when the true surprise came: in panic, not knowing what else to do, the orange young mech attacked his superior, knocking him out. Honestly, not even Hot Rod could believe that he actually did it. He had been longing to do it ever since that creep was placed as the Academy's director, but he never had the courage. Oh, he knew that, if he survived to the 'Cons, he would go to a bar and celebrate this. Big time!

Sighing, he grabbed the unconscious mech and looked for something to tie him up. Then, he went back to the call.

"Did you actually…?" Smokescreen, completely startled by what he saw, asked. He really couldn't believe his optics.

"Knocked that bastard out, and tied him to a chair? Yup." The orange mech said. "I'm **_so_** fired…" He commented, looking at the chairman's figure. "But he kind of deserved it… So I'm not sorry for it." The Elite Guard added, narrowing his eyes and making a grimace, before look back at his friend. "Things are getting out of control, Smoke! We need backup!"

The blue mech looked at his friends, and then at the humans. Under other circumstances, he would've totally ran back to Cybertron to help his friends, but… No. He couldn't just leave, not with Shockwave and the Constructicons still on Earth. Sighing, he looked at his friend, suddenly serious.

"I'm sorry, Roddy, but… I can't leave my team now. There's a Combiner here already, and we don't know whether the 'Cons are going to use it or not…" He explained.

"I… understand. Though I hope you'll come anyway…" Hot Rod said, right before an alarm started to ring. "Scrap! I gotta go! Someone just broke into the Academy!"

"What?! Wait! Rod? Roddy?!" It was useless for Smokescreen to keep calling his friend's name, since the call ended. The orange Elite Guard went to answer the attack.

"That's _really_ bad…" Arcee commented from behind the group.

If the 'Cons were able to break into one of Iacon's safest places… then who would keep them from bringing two more Combiners to Earth?

Suddenly, Elita's spark-chamber started to itch again; this time harder than in other occasions. Before noticing, the pink femme had her right hand placed over her chest-plates, and was gritting her teeth. It was as if something was trying to take her spark out of her body… Almost as if she was supposed to be somewhere else…

* * *

Galatea entered a consulting room, where she found a tall medic of blue protoform preforming a surgery on a patient who was still on stasis. The doctor asked what was going on, only to discover that the Decepticons were invading the building; and there was when his face seemed to become paler… But, when the young femme, tried to take him out of the room, saying that they had to evacuate, the medic refused, saying that he couldn't leave until the surgery was over, otherwise his patient may lose his ability to walk. Growling, the femme gave him twenty kliks, and left the room, looking for more people who required to be evacuated.

Hurrying, Pharma ran towards the door, and sealed it, before go back to his patient (a laborer who had a very bad day in which he ran into a Scraplets' nest…). But his mind was no longer on the surgical procedure, but in a very, very old memory of a medical outpost, which was located in the outskirts of a Decepticon facility. Suddenly, his hands were trembling as the images kept resurfacing… "No… No. No! Pull yourself together, Pharma!" He thought, anger brewing inside of his chest. "It's not going to happen again… It's not going to be a second Delphi. No. Everything's going to be fine… Everything's going to be _just fine_ …" Mentally repeating this, the medic kept working… But the images of the horrors he saw didn't let him alone for the rest of the day…

* * *

Ultra Magnus was wrestling with Onslaught, and, at the same time, dodging the incoming attacks from Vortex and that champagne colored femme, who was very persistent. Deep inside, the Wrecker was starting to wonder whether this would end up with the 'Cons back ont their cells, or in a second war. No. He couldn't think like that! He was one of Optimus's most trusted commanders during the war; he was the leader of the Wreckers; and, he was trained as an Elite Guard, long before the civil war started. He couldn't give up. He had to kick these creeps' tailpipes all the way back to prison!

Then, with his second breath, the blue mech kicked Onslaught in the midsection, sending him away; right on time to dodge an incoming attack from two other Combaticons (Vortex and Brawl), who ended up crashing against each other. Then, he grabbed the femme who was helping them, and trapped her between his arms, while kicking a yellow mech away from him. The last Combaticon, was helping their leader to get on his feet; and, fortunately, Skywarp was still lying on the floor with his lights out…

Unfortunately, the commander didn't realize that the femme ended up facing the wall, thing that she used to get free by running along it, until the Wrecker was unable to restrain her anymore. Then, landing gracefully on her feet, the Decepticon drew her swords and charged against the Autobot, who had only a split second to step aside, take out his blaster, and counterattack. Too bad she dodged the shot, and, transforming her own servo into a blaster, was able to hit the Wrecker's left shoulder.

Ultra Magnus grabbed his wounded arm in pain.

"Oh, great…" He cursed, seeing that his only blaster couldn't be used anymore.

"Give up, commander." The femme said. "You're clearly outnumbered."

"Man, I think that I'm liking her even more now…" Brawl commented, kind of staring to Solar Flare's silhouette.

"What did I tell you about thinking, bro?" Vortex told his comrade, in annoyance.

When the commander tried to charge against the femme, she hurried to slash him across his legs. It wasn't a too important wound, but it was painful, and made the mech fell on his knees. Ultra Magnus recognized what she was trying to do: this 'Con didn't want him dead, she wanted him weak! She wanted him to be weak enough for her and her buddies to storm through the clinic without finding resistance. Well… She obviously _never_ heard of him before…

Ignoring the pain, he got up again, surprising his attacker. She really didn't expect him to keep fighting.

"Is that all you got?" He taunted her, earning a growl.

Without the Wrecker's notice, Onslaught and Blast Off were now aiming at him, and preparing to shoot… right before a blue car with cerulean flames and yellow glasses rushed into the clinic's reception, knocking them down.

" _Excuse me_!" The newcomer chimed, mocking them, while rolling over the 'Cons, and transforming once he was inside the building. He had the Elite Guards badge carved on the chest, and his doorwings. "Is this the right clinic? I'm looking for my big bro. Have you seen him? Tall, blue optics, Autobot badge, and a little uptight?" He kept saying while taking out his blasters, and opening fire.

"So that's Side Burn…" Ultra Magnus muttered, looking at the youngling.

In a swift move, Blast Off got on his feet, and shot at the kid, who had no problem in step aside, dodge the attack and open fire against the 'Con. Of course that, as soon as he saw that the plasma bullet bounced off the Combaticon armor, the lad realized that his shooter skill wouldn't help him this time.

"You guys are bulletproof?! Huh… No wonder my bro is having trouble to send your sad afts back to jail then…" He complained, grimacing, and scratching his head.

"Kid… You have ten kliks to get outta here, before I tell my men to chew your head off…" Onslaught threatened, while pointing at the exit door that was behind him.

Side Burn made a long 'Hmm' while placing his right hand under his chin, as if he was considering the option.

"Leave like a coward, or stay and find my brother…" Smirking, he took out his blaster. "Sorry, pals, I'm not leaving without Prowl."

"Suit yourself. Combaticons: destroy." The blue mech said, and all his men splitted up between the Wrecker and the Elite Guard.

It was then when another set of headlights entered the room (a light green jeep, this time), taking the 'Cons by surprise and startling them; right before a thick bumper crushed against their knees. This time Onslaught jumped aside, and saw the newcomer transform into a tall and bulky mech of cerulean eyes.

"And you started without me…" He said, looking at the Elite Guard, while masking himself.

"You're too slow, X!" Side Burn said.

Taking advantage of the confusion created by the brothers, Ultra Magnus ran up to them, introducing himself. It earned him a salute from Prowl's brothers, who, depite have heard his voice through the commlink, never saw him face to face before.

The Wrecker hurried to explain the situation, and asked them to go with the middle triplet, and help him to evacuate the building.

Side Burn and X-Brawn exchanged a look.

"You go with Prowl, Side. I got this." The oldest triplet said, receiving a nod.

"Don't you dare to fall in battle before I do, X!" The youngling said, while highing five with his brother.

"Me? Fall in battle? You're crazy…" The green mech chuckled.

Then the Elite Guard left.

"You should go with him." Ultra Magnus stated.

"With all due respect, sir; you need backup, and I'm the only warrior around here. Besides…" X-Brawn looked at the Combaticons, the femme, and the Seeker who was coming to. "I've been missing this…" He said, while snapping his knuckles.

Surprisingly glad of have found help, the Wrecker prepared himself for the round two.

* * *

Galatea was helping the caretakers to take the sparklings out of the building through the backdoor, when she heard someone approaching, reason why she took out her rifle. However, the Stunticon didn't even notice her; in fact, he was calling the others through the commlink, saying that he had what they wanted, that he was going back to the entrance. Only then the femme noticed that this guy was carrying a medic on his shoulders. "Scrap!" Covering her optics with her visor, the youngling charged against the Stunticon with all her might… only to get hit by another.

After rolling on the floor, the light grey femme got on her feet, finding herself face to face with a tall and black mech, whose expression was impossible to read. This guy, after shoving her off his way, turned to look at the prisoner and checked his face. Yeah… The paintjob was different, but it was still _that_ guy…

Nodding, Motormaster told his subordinate to take him to Solar Flare so they could leave. Also, he told the rest of his men to regroup at the entrance through the commlink.

Growling, the young femme, transformed one of her servos into a blaster and opened fire… only to see that it was completely uneffective. All she got was a snort from the black mech, who simply turned to leave.

"No, you won't!" She threw herself against him…

And was caught midair by the Stunticons' leader, who quickly slapped her against the nearest wall. Galatea felt her back cracking due to the pressure.

"Such spirit…" Motormaster said. His hands were big enough to grab her by the chest. Also, she was kind of slender… However, when he moved his index finger away, the Autobot badge got completely revealed. "What's with the 'Bots that the most spirited soldiers are with them?"

"Well… They kind of want to _protect_ the world instead of _destroy_ it…" Galatea snarled, while struggling to get free. "What do you want with that medic?"

"That's none of your business, babydoll."

"What did you just call me?!" Offended, she transformed both her hands into blasters, and put them right in front of his face. "Say it again! I dare you!"

Motormaster simply chuckled again and tossed her away.

Hitting her head, Galatea lost consciousness.

"Babydoll." The black mech said before turn around and walk away.

* * *

Prowl somehow managed to subdue de red Stunticon, by dodging some shots, taking cover behind a large scanner, and, then, throwing every single sharp tool he could find towards the 'Con. As he predicted, as soon as his armor was scratched or stained, the other mech stopped the attack to clean himself up. Smirking at this, the cop pounced onto his opponent, and managed to cuff him.

One less.

"You've the right to remain silent, otherwise everything you say will be used against you in…"

"Are you reading me my rights?" The 'Con asked in disbelief, looking at his captor from above his shoulder, and interrupting Prowl's speech.

"Protocol." The law enforcer said with a shrug.

"Huh… That's… actually nice."

Ok. Defenitevely there were some missing pieces inside of this guy's head…

The awkward moment was interrupted by Side Burn's sudden entrance, in which the younger mech stormed in, calling for the cop's name; and smiled happily of finding the middle triplet safe and sound. Then, noticing the circumstances, he offered to help him with the prisoner.

Prowl simply arched an eyebrow… What was he doing at the clinic? He told him to stay put at the Academy! Why can't he obey him once in his life?!

And, it was then when, using the Autobots meeting on his favor, Dead End pushed the cop off his way, and ran towards the door, tackling the younger triplet, who, unable to answer the attack, found himself lying on the floor, watching the prisoner escape. At the hallway, a yellow mech appeared, and helped the red one to break the cuffs. Grunting and cursing, the Elite Guard got on his feet and ran after them, only to be forced to take cover behind a corner, while the 'Cons ran off, towards the entrance.

The middle triplet exited the consulting room, looking for the convicts, but, mostly, looking for his brother. He couldn't help but sigh in relief when he saw Side Burn, crouched behind a corner, taking cover. However, his happiness didn't last, as the anger started to take over, since his brother (as his freaking usual) couldn't follow his orders at all!

"Side, what are you doing here? You should be at the Academy." The black and white mech asked, walking up to the youngling.

"And leave you all by your own?!" The blue bot retorted, surprised.

"You were safer there!"

"But you needed back-up, and X and I…"

"YOU BROUGHT X-BRAWN TOO?!" The law enforcer interrupted whatever his brother was aobut to yell was so sudden that the poor Elite Guard flinched in fear, only to see that the older mech was now growling, and massaging his temples. "Ok, I guess that I _should_ 've known that you weren't capable of follow a single and simple order… But to think that you actually dragged our brother into this…" Then, he deployed his blasters and started to walk away. "Now, _listen to me_ : I'm going after Dead End, and, then, I'll go for X. And _you_ are going to go down that corridor, and, once you reach the backdoor, you'll take your aft back to the Academy. Now get out of here!" He ordered.

Side Burn gritted his teeth, and frowned deeply. Seriously? He graduated from the Academy! He was an Elite Guard! He was a survivor of the war, and, yet, this mech couldn't see him as the Autobot he became?!

"Prowl!" Furious, the young mech grabbed his brother by the arm and forced him to turn around and look him in the eyes. "I'm not the clumsy sparkling from so long ago! I'm an actual adult now, and I'm as good soldier as you are!"

"I'm trying to protect you!" The cop yelled, breaking free and trying to walk away.

"So am I!"

This surprised the older mech, who was unable to answer. Side Burn used this on his advantage.

"Look, I know that you and X worries for me, and only want me to be safe; I know, and I love you, guys, for always thinking for me. But those feelings are mutual. Why you think I applied for the War Academy too? Huh? Because I wanted to protect _you_! So…" He transformed his servos into his blasters. "You can either take me along as your partner, or I can go with you yelling at me because I didn't listen a word you said. Either way, I'm not leaving you behind."

Prowl's eyes were widened and his jaw was dropped. He always thought that Side Burn, being the youngest, was his responsibility, reason why he always tended to protect him all the time. But now… Now the blue mech was trying to protect _him_ , and, not only that, but he was behaving as an actual Elite Guard. Honestly, the middle triplet never imagined that his day would come, that his little brother would, finally, become an adult.

Smirking and chuckling, Prowl shook his head closing his eyes. Ever since the war forced him to abandon Cybertron, whenever he had to team up with someone, he did it with X-Brawn; well, seems that the team just changed…

"Fine." He finally said, looking at his brother. "But I'm still in charge. I'm the older." He added, while running towards the entrance, followed by Side Burn, who groaned.

"Awww… C'mon, Prowl!" The young mech complained.

* * *

Hot Rod was taking heavy fire, trying to keep the 'Cons at stake, while the new cadets evacuated the place. However, it wasn't easy, especially because one of his partners was on another planet, and the other one ran on the rescue of his brothers. He was all alone, and the enemies were too many. "There aren't enough curses in this universe to describe what I'm feeling right now, guys… _Thanks_ for your support. Seriously…" He was thinking, while answering the fire, from behind a pillar. He went back to cover right on time to prevent a shot on the head. "Smokescreen, Side Burn, if I survive this, I'm going to kill you…" The young mech thought, growling, while peeking out of his hiding. His position was compromised. He had to move somewhere else, but the next piece of furniture that could be used as cover was way too far. He wouldn't make it…

Oh, well. His career was finished anyway… The chairman wouldn't allow him to stay as a trainer, not after what he did a couple kliks ago, so…

Sighing, Hot Rod got out of his hiding and ran towards the stairscase, shooting at the intruders, who started to chase after him. Smiling, the mech started to head towards the armory. If he could trap them there and set off the explosives that were being kept in that room, he would be able to win, with or without backup.

But, when he tripped and fell down the stairs, the orange mech knew that he was doomed…

Until someone made all the 'Cons trip and fall down the staircase as he did. Fortunatelly, the Elite Guard was fast enough to transform and get away from the avalanche of bodies. "What the…?" Startled, he transformed again and looked at the point of entrance, waiting for something to happen.

Then, a white bot of blue and red stripes and black helm, who was wearing a blue visor, appeared.

"Hey, kid, you alright?" The newcomer asked.

"Y-yeah… I'm fine." The orange bot said, getting on his feet. "Thanks, by the way."

"No problem. I'm Jazz, lieutenant. And you are?"

"Hot Rod, Elite Guard, sir." He saluted by custom, realizing that this was the bot he called earlier, before relax. "Please tell me that you've some backup on the way here… 'Cuz I've been holding 'em up all by myself all day…" The young mech added, pleading, dropping his arms at the sides of his body, tired.

"Huh… No." Jazz admitted, noticing how Hot Rod depressed at his statement. "I actually came here looking for some warriors. We're seriously outnumbered!"

"Well, I'm the only Elite Guard in here… Besides myself, all the others are nothing but cadets in training…"

"It'll have to do. Now, c'mon, round them up! We've a whole city to defend!"

"Um… I… evacuated them…" The orange mech admitted.

Jazz grunted, massaging his forehelm.

No backup then…

* * *

Discover that X-Brawn had shields installed on his forearms was a good surprise for Ultra Magnus, who was about to receive a shot on the chest… again… And, to find out that this guy served with Perceptor for a couple solar-cycles during the war was just the topping cherry. The commander was free to use all the moves he knew, knowing that the oldest triplet would figure out which maneuver it was; and, by working together, they were capable of hold back the Combaticons, Skywarp, and Solar Flare long enough for Prowl and the others to evacuate the building.

Only one thing was worrying him now: that there were no news from the Stunticons, and, if those guys were armored too, then none of the three Autobots that were running around the clinic would be able to stop them. Even worst! They could end up terminated! But he couldn't leave X-Brawn all by his own either.

Right now, he didn't know what to do…

"Commander, look out!" The green mech yelled, while pushing him out of the way of a shot, which ended up hitting Blast Off's chest.

The black and violet mech stumbled a few steps back with a nasty burn on his chest-plates. "Interesting…" Ultra Mangus thougth at the scene. Apparently, their blasters could not even scratch these guys; but their own weapons were strong enough to hurt each other.

However, before being able to share his suspicions with anybody, the Stunticons reappeared, carrying a medic with them.

Knowing that it wasn't a good sign, the blue Autobot hurried his partner to get up and try to rescue the Decepticons' prisoner; but it was useless, for, as soon as they tried to move, the Velocitronian femme shot them on the knees, while calling her men to get out and go to the space-bridges. Nodding, the soldiers did as told; all but Skywarp, who waited for his partner to come along.

"You're _so_ going to pay for that, 'Con…" X-Brawn threatened, while clutching his wounded knee junction.

Solar Flare chuckled and prepared to shoot againg, but, as soon as she heard the voices of the other two triplets running down the hallway, she changed her mind. Transforming her blasters back on her servos, the femme grabbed the purple Seeker by the arm and ordered him to warp them out.

Prowl and Side Burn reached their friends two seconds too late…

* * *

 **This is all for now! Sorry for the long chapter!**

 **By the way, I want to ask you: I've been writing some one-shots that talks about each character after the events of this fanfic, would you like me to upload some of them when this is all over? Tell me if you want or not.**

 **Let me know what you think!**

 **Bye!**


	37. THIRTY FIVE: The Only Line of Defense

***Nightglider appears at the screen, instead of Calliope* Um... Calliope! They're already here! What do I do? *No answer* Huh... *The mech smiles to the screen* Give me one second, ok?**

 ***Rushes to look after the writer, who finally appears. Nightglider still next to her*  
**

 **Hello, everyone! Sorry about that, I was trying to finish the next chapter! Guys, you don't know how happy your answers has made me! And, I will publish the one-shots I've wrote; though I still have a long way to go, but I won't cover all the characters I've used in this fic, otherwise I will be writing for the rest of my life...**

 **Nightglider: *kind of depressed* You haven't writen mine yet...**

 **I haven't thought what story should I give you yet... But I'll figure something out. I promise, ok? *The flyer smiles*  
**

 **Coira94 :**

 **Thank you for your answer! I'll publish the one-shots once I've finished this fic, ok?**

 **Seeker3 :**

 **Sorry to disappoint you about the Combiners... And, yes, this is ending soon. Glad to know that this would be the first story you read completely!**

 **About the ideas of a sequel, yes I thought about it, but I don't know whether I would be able to write one... I mean I started a story, thinking about it, but... I got stuck after two chapters, and my vacations are coming to an end soon, so...**

 **Nightglider: Wait... You mean that that... _thing_ you were planning to write a couple months ago was...? *Calliope nods* Trust me guys, the others will be more than pleased if she doesn't publish it.**

 **Hey, I said that I don't know if would be able to finish it, didn't I? So, sorry. There's the idea, but I don't know if will have time to fulfill it.**

 **Sympathy Effect :**

 **Glad you liked the mini-story. And, about Ultra Magnus, he's just trying to protect everything he loves in the only way he , yes, he's kind of reckless... Maybe he has spent too much time with the Wreckers? XD  
**

 **About Galatea: I chose her name (which means 'white as milk') after Pygmalion's myht. According to it, the king Pygmalion refuses to marry with any of the women that lives in his kingdom, because he finds them imperfect. So he choses to live without any female companion; however, he, being a sculptor, soon finds out that he has been depicting his perfect companion on the statue he was working on, which he calls Galatea. Eventually, he falls in love with it, and begs to Aphrodite for help. The goddess, moved by this, brings the statue to life, and gives her the gift of fertility. Finally, Pymalion takes Galatea as his wife.**

 **If I don't remember incorrectly, there are versions of the myth in which Aphrodite appears before the king, saying that he must choose a wife; and the reason why Pygmalion was sculpting the statue was because he tried to belate the goddess order, saying that he would marry after finishing his piece. The excuse was that he wanted to depict the goddess; but, as the time passed, he realized that he created the woman he desired, so he ends up asking Aphrodite to blow life into it. Since it went with her wishes, she does so; and that's how Galatea is born.**

 **Nightglider: *Narrowing his optics* But you chose my name after one of _Batman Arkham Asylum_ 's trophies?**

 **Hey! It sounded Cybertronian enough; and you were going to be a flyer, so...! *Changing subject* Oh, I didn't notice that Flare is becoming annoying... Huh. Oh, well, the story is almost over anyway... Endure her a bit longer XD  
**

 **And I had my reasons for everything in here. You soon will know why these guys did what they did. As for Smokey, it would've been pointless to make him go to Cybertron... You'll see.**

 **Bumblebee :**

 **Glad you like the long chapters... Because they're becoming longer...**

 **Oh, um... Sorry to Megatron, but I'm not planning to write about him, since he's one of the few characters I don't really like... And, since he self-vanished from Cybertron after the war, so his rol on the show is over. Besides, Unicron already told him that his soul is lost for have used (abused, actually) Dark Energon; so, it's not like he can be redeemed...**

 **Wheeljack :**

 **Easy, there! There's nothing wrong with the commander! I just asked him to try to socialize with the team! *Scratching the back of her neck* Perhaps the candy was too much, though...**

 **Knock Out :**

 **C'mon now... You know I wouldn't kill you in this fic. You're the main character! And, besides, I do remember to have warned you about some sparklings in the nearby future, a couple chapters ago... *Evil laugh* Though, Bumblebee might have a point about your finish...  
**

 **Megatron :**

 **Don't worry, I already caught Skywarp while putting dye in Solar Flare's shampoo, and took care of it... I exchanged my OC's shampoo with Knock Out's, then waited for him to take a shower. When he came out of the wash racks roaring in rage, I told him that it was Skywarp's fault. Then I grabbed some popcorn and watched the whole thing. *Evil smirk* Nobody messes with my babies...**

 **Alright, let's keep going! Glider, go to your place! *The OC nods and leaves***

 **Warning: English isn't my mother language, so there might be some grammar mistakes in here.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own _Transformers_ franchise, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **THIRTY FIVE: The Only Line of Defense**

Smokescreen was pacing up and down the control room, worried sick for his friend Hot Rod, whose call ended twenty minutes ago. What was going on back on Cybertron? Were everyone okay? Did the 'Cons got to the city? Grunting, he looked at the mainframe's screen, desperate for news; but, since nobody called, he resumed his pacing… Until Ironhide grabbed him by the shoulders.

"Making a hole in the floor isn't going to help us, kid…" The weapons specialist said, while patting the Elite Guard on the chest.

The young mech took a deep vent, trying to calm down his nerves. Right. He had to keep it together, or he would become a burden to his friends, and that was something they couldn't bear right now… However, his spark was uneasy. Smokescreen was trained to help his teammates when there was a battle, and Hot Rod was a close friend of his… and he just refused to give him any backup! His loyalty was soared for this. But he also knew that he wouldn't feel different if he would've left the team to help the orange mech.

Fowler and the children were at the catwalks, looking at the bots, who were all at the verge of a spark-attack, wondering what they could do to help. The governmental agent more than anyone, since it was his job to be the middle-man between the Pentagon and these guys… It was then when the mainframe pinged with an incoming call.

With his hopes up, Smokescreen ran towards the keyboard to pick up. Surprisingly, it wasn't Hot Rod, but Ultra Magnus.

"Magnus! Thanks the AllSpark, you're back!" Ratchet said with a bright smile.

"You can say it again…" The commander conceded, remembering the shot he took at Kaon City, and massaging his chest-plates. "Prowl has been updating me about our current state. Is it true? Combiners?" He asked.

At this question, Knock Out walked up to the screen, feeling that he should be the one to answer that question.

"Yes. Shockwave figured how to solve the problems that inhibited _Project Combiner_." The red mech said. "One of the volunteered teams is here on Earth. But we fear that Shockwave sent two of his minions to recover another two groups, the Combaticons, and the Stunticons."

The blue bot's eyes widened at the names.

So he heard about them already… That wasn't a good sign.

Bumblebee exchanged a worried look with the rest of the team, and with Knock Out, before look at Ultra Magnus.

"Please, tell us that you managed to keep them locked down…" The yellow mech pleaded.

"I'm… sorry. They made it to the space-bridges." The Wrecker apologized.

"So they're here already…" Knock Out muttered in horror.

A cold silence spread through the base, and the Autobots' sparks faltered a few beats, knowing that this was a declaration of war… One that they didn't know if they were able to win, nor if they even stood a chance to survive. Nobody fought a Combiner before, because nobody ever managed to actually create one! None of them knew what to expect. Besides, for what they've seen, their guns didn't even left a scratch on the Constructicons; so, how were they supposed to stop them once they combined?!

Knock Out was the one who was pondering about this the most. Though he wasn't a pure Autobot, he couldn't deny that he was no longer a Decepticon; neither could he deny his new found fondness to this planet and its population. But, just as the 'Bots, he knew that nothing in their arsenal was strong enough to pierce through these guys' armors. "Unless… we don't have to 'pierce' them at all…" Without anyone's notice, the Velocitronian's eyes widened, as he got lost in deep thoughts.

At the same time, and fortunately for the team, Ultra Magnus was back in action:

"I might have something for you: when I fought those guys in here, I noticed that, while our blasters are ineffective, their weapons does hurt them." The commander informed.

"What? How you know?" Ironhide asked, walking closer the screen.

The blue commander's jaw dropped in surprise.

"Ironhide?! You're alive?!" Ultra Magnus asked, not trusting his eyes.

The weapons specialist chuckled, remembering that the Wrecker didn't know about him being a prisoner at the _Black Moon_ …

"Not just me." He said, and gestured the femmes to approach.

"Elita-One…" The blue mech muttered as soon as the pink bot appeared on his screen. "It's a real honor, ma'am."

"The honor is mine, commander." She answered.

"Ultra Magnus." The red medic called after a while. "Do you know where the Iacon's Relics are being kept?" He asked, and couldn't help his smile when the Autobot nodded as answer.

The others arched an eyebrow at his sudden intromission, wondering what he was thinking; only Bumblebee understood the red mech's train of thoughts immediately at the mention of the relics. A new found hope started to enlighten his spark.

"Of course! Well thought, Knock Out!" The law enforcer said, while patting the former 'Con on his back.

"Um… You lost me guys. What are you exactly planning?" Chromia wondered, crossing her arms.

"The Phase Shifter!" Bumblebee and Knock Out answered at the same time.

Smokescreen's face lightened at the mention of his favorite relic, knowing what those two were talking about: with it in their grasp, they didn't need to hurt the Combiners; they could go right through them and break their weak spots from inside! And he was just the perfect bot for the job: he used that thing so many times that he knew how to exploit its potential in battle. Feeling the fire of a new hope burning within his chest, the Elite Guard volunteered for the mission.

Nodding, Bumblebee turned to look at the screen again.

"Ultra Magnus, is there any way for you to bring us the relics?" He asked, with a confident smile.

"Give me five kliks. Ultra Magnus, out."

* * *

The commander hung up the call and turned around to leave the clinic's reception (or what was left of it…), and went to meet with Prowl and his brothers, who were right outside, watching the wave of Decepticons that was advancing towards the city. The three of them were wondering when the Council was going to dispatch their own drones to protect the place; and the three of them were coming to the sad conclusion that their leaders might not even lift a finger to protect their people… They probably were on their own.

Ultra Magnus called Side Burn's attention, asking him if he had full access to the Academy's vaults. The blue and cerulean mech arched an eyebrow and cocked his head at the question.

"Um… Yes and no. That level has a special lock. Two guards are needed to open the doors… Or you need to have the Master Code, but only the chairman knows which it is…" He explained, shrugging and rolling his eyes at the last part.

"I understand that you have a friend at the Academy, does he has the code too?" The commander asked, receiving a nod as answer. "Good, because I need you to retrieve some things for me."

A honk called their attention towards a group of Cybertronians who were approaching in their vehicle mode. He recognized four of them, but he had no clue who were the three trains, the orange car, or the chopper… Arching an eyebrow, he walked up to the white sport car with blue and red streaks, which transformed in Jazz. The lieutenant ran up to the Wrecker, happy to see him standing. The orange and golden sport car rolled towards Side Burn, transforming into a young mech that had the Elite Guard's badge carved on his chest and shoulders.

The tall, blue mech concentrated in his friend.

"Mags! Oh, you don't know just how _happy_ I am of seeing ya' up!" He said, restraining himself from hugging the commander. "I saw the army of 'Cons that's coming our way; I'm trying to regroup the old gang, but…" He gestured towards the Autobots behind him. "This is all I got this far… I could _really_ use your help."

"I'm sorry, Jazz, but I'm needed somewhere else. Ratchet and the others are about to fight three Combiners back on Earth; I have to help them." He excused himself.

"Oh, scrap…" Jazz cursed, dropping his shoulders.

"Hey, Whirl, where's that acquaintance of yours?" Crosshairs asked, behind the lieutenant, looking at the one eyed bot, who shrugged.

"He said he was coming…" The soldier said.

Seeing how things were going, Ultra Magnus looked away, towards the Sea of Rust. Maybe… No. Not 'maybe', it had to be; there was no other choice. With this amount of warriors, they wouldn't survive a day! Grunting, biting his lip, the commander turned towards the Elite Guards and told them to grab the Iacon Relics that were being kept at the Academy's vaults; that he would meet with them at the space-bridges within ten kliks. Then, he ordered Prowl to go to his place and grab his case of guns, same point of meeting; at the same time he threw his keys to the startled cop. Then, he turned to Jazz, promising him that he would ensure him some back-up; right after making that promise, he transformed and drove away.

Hot Rod and Side Burn looked at each other, and, nodding, transformed and rushed towards the Academy; while Prowl and X-Brawn went towards the Wrecker's apartment. Jazz sighed and looked at what he had…

They were _so_ doomed…

But their luck was about to change, as a chopper was heard in the distance.

"Wo-hooo! He's here!" Whirl celebrated. "Told ya'!" He added, turning to look at Crosshairs.

"There's someone with him…" Drift said, squinting his eyes, trying to see the newcomers better.

Finally, the helicopter transformed into a red mech; and, behind him, three jets transformed into three red and white mechs that had the Autobot badge carved somewhere in their bodies. Whirl greeted the first one, calling him Blades.

Drift walked up to him.

"Please tell me you're gonna help us with that army…" He said.

"Can I shoot at any Decepti-creep I see?" Blades asked, receiving a nod from his friend Whirl. "Then the answer is yes. Oh, and I brought some helpers." He added, looking at the three other flyers. "These guys were from the Aerialbots's unit: Powerglide, Fireflight and…"

"Silverbolt!" Jazz greeted the last one, running up to him.

"Jazz?! You survived?!" The old flyer celebrated, while patting the lieutenant's shoulder. "Good, at least we stand a chance."

The lieutenant's smile faded away at that comment, turning into a dubious grimace.

"Yeah… I wouldn't be _that_ sure… We haven't recruited many 'Bots yet…" He said, scratching the back of his helm, and looking at the group. He sighed. "We're seriously outnumbered."

"Maybe I can help with that…" A feminine voice said.

Galatea was walking out the clinic, helped by First Aid who found her lying on the ground when he finally reunited enough courage to jump off his hiding. She had a nasty hit on the back of her head, and her back's platting was cracked, but, otherwise, she was fine. Besides, she was a sniper, not a close-range soldier. Her armor wasn't mean to the kind of fight she had at the hallway… But she knew someone who would be more than happy to hear that there was a lot of Decepticon tailpipe to kick…

* * *

When Hot Rod and Side Burn passed next to the tied down chairman, the blue mech couldn't believe his eyes. But there wasn't time to waste in jokes, so he kept his head in the game and followed his friend to the vaults, where both of them introduced their security codes at the same time.

With a soft click, the reinforced door opened, revealing a room filled with four relics that were being kept within four blue beams. The two mechs gasped in awe at the sight, and looked at the objects around them. There were four items… Which one did the commander needed? Sharing a quizzical look, both young mechs nodded, and decided to take them all. Just in case…

Side Burn took the Phase Shifter, and the Apex Armor; while Hot Rod grabbed the Polarity Gauntlet. However, as soon as the orange bot was about to grab the Star Saber, his friend stopped him.

"What? But… It's the strongest weapon in the universe!" Hot Rod complained.

"Yeah… In the hands of a Prime!" The youngest of the Triplets reminded him. "Are _you_ a Prime? No. Leave it there! It's safer here, than out there where the 'Cons may snatch it!" He said, while walking out. "Now, move it! The commander might be waiting for us already!"

Understanding, the orange and golden mech glanced one last time at the sword before ran out of the vault to close it.

* * *

The blue truck sped down the Sea of Rust, honking, and lifting a cloud of dust behind him. Usually he wouldn't drive this recklessly, but he was in a hurry, and there was no other way to call those guys attention. Finally, when a shadow bypassed him from above, the vehicle stopped, transforming into the tall figure of Ultra Magnus, whose eyes fixated in the night sky. But there was no sign of the creature anymore. Grunting, clenching his teeth and fists, the mech yelled one single name with all his might: Predaking.

He had to repeat his calling three or four times, but, finally the three Predacons showed up, surrounding him. Only the leader of the pack transformed into his bipedal form to be able to talk with the commander, who quickly walked up to him.

"What are you doing back in our territory? We already gave you what you wanted." The Predacon complained, snarling every word.

"The time finally came for you to prove that Autobots and Predacons can live in peace." Ultra Magnus started to explain. "Our city is under attack, the survivors are in danger, and…"

"So? It's your city, not ours…" Skylynx interrupted, transforming and crossing his arms.

"Don't you understand? The Decepticons will not treat you as we had." The blue mech retorted, dedicating a brief look to the youngest member of the brethren, right before look back at their leader. "Please. If my people sees you helping, they will know that you mean no harm, and will allow you to live among us, out of these wastelands." Then, Ultra Magnus lowered his gaze. "I'm ashamed to say that my people cannot win this battle on their own… We need your help." He admitted.

Predaking seemed to consider the Wrecker's words, as he gutturally hummed, arching an eyebrow and cocking his head to the side, his eyes fixated on the city. It wasn't as if they didn't want to leave the desert; but nothing ensured them to be accepted, even after they've fought for the Autobots. Besides, this bot sounded as if his people was facing a highly dangerous battle; so, why should he risk his own brethren for them? To the Predacon's eyes, the Autobots were no different from the Decepticons. Sure, he helped them before, but it was different: if he didn't, then the whole planet would've died, and he wouldn't have anywhere to live…

Ultra Magnus saw the indecision in Predaking's eyes, and knew that he _had_ to press harder.

"Would it change anything if I tell you that this is the first step of a bigger plan? A plan that's been orchestrated by Shockwave." The blue mech said, immediately earning the Predacons' attention. Yes, they all remembered that bastard. Smirking, he knew that it was time to rise the bets. "I would never ask you to die for us, Predaking; and I know that even with you on our side, our army would be dangerously outnumbered… That's why I didn't come here empty-handed." Extending his left arm, the commander showed a set of coordinates to the Predacon. It led to the most dangerous part of the Sea of Rust, a place that even Predaking and his kind avoided. "You will find others in there. Tell them that you were sent in my name, and convoke them to fight. They will come."

"How you know?" The Predacon wondered.

"Because they owe me a favor…" He put away the coordinates. "And because they hate Shockwave as much as you hate Starscream. Maybe more…"

* * *

After the blue Wrecker hung up, Team Prime started to analyze Shockwave's research, hoping to find a solid strategy to follow. With the Phase Shifter, one of them would be able to take and destroy the regulators, which were installed in the chests of those things; which meant that Nightglider was the best option for it, despite that Smokescreen had more experience with the relic. Surprisingly, the flyer refused to wear the item, saying that he would be more useful as aerial support; after all the Seekers would be there, and he was the only Autobot with wings.

"Guess that you're wearing the Phase Shifter after all, Smokey." Bulkhead commented, smacking the rookie on the shoulder, and almost making him fall flat on his face.

"I have no problem with that. But, how am I supposed to get all the way up there?" The Elite Guard asked, pointing at the blueprint of the Combiner's chest.

"If Shockwave and Starscream are really trying to change the war's outcome, then they will come to us, to Jasper." Ratchet said. "The roads are surrounded by tall rocks. Try to be creative…" He pointed out, gaining a realization look from the blue mech.

"As soon as Ultra Magnus arrives, the city must be evacuated, and the perimeter must be secured." Elita said, before turning to look at the governmental agent. "Agent Fowler, you'll be in charge of Jasper's evacuation. The city must be empty by the time the Decepticons arrive."

"Leave that to me, ma'am." The man said, while taking out his cellphone and calling for his superiors.

"Ratchet, you'll remain in here, and you'll keep the ground-bridge ready to receive wounded ones. Something tells me that there will be plenty…" The pink femme kept saying.

"You'll remain in here too, Knock Out." Bumblebee suddenly said, looking at the red mech, who turned to look at the law enforcer with wide eyes, surprised of hearing him say that. "You're more valuable as a medic than as a warrior." The warrior explained. "And, besides, your fight is already over." He added, looking at the med-bay, where Sunscorch was recovering. "Ratchet will be responsible of you until I return."

"Understood." The Velocitronian said with a nod.

"Autobots, get ready for the battle." Elita ordered, and everyone went to the training room to stretch and physically prepare for the fight.

However, the pink femme remained at the control room, now alone with Ratchet. Making a quick sweep of the room, she made sure that not even the humans were around; and, finally deciding that the kids followed their friends, she walked up to the old medic, who was typing something onto the mainframe. Placing a hand on his shoulder, the commander earned the mech's attention.

"I need to ask you a favor…" She started, unsure of how to ask it…

"Sure. What is it?"

"I need you to transport me to Cybertron." The femme confessed with an apologetic face.

"What?!" Ratchet yelled, not understanding her. They were about to head into a battle! She couldn't just leave them! "Elita! We need you!"

"I know but…"

"No!" He interrupted. "You're finally leading this team; if you leave, then you'll be doubted and…"

"Ratchet!"

Taken aback by the sudden scream, the old mech shut his mouth and watched the femme who was now glaring at him. Her body was tense and trembling, and, judging by her optics' gleam, there was something going on inside of her processor.

"It's for the team's welfare that I'm going to Cybertron." She stated, firm, straightening her back. But, in the end, she sighed and closed her eyes. "Remember that itch that I mentioned?"

"The one in your chest?" He asked, arching an eyebrow.

She nodded.

"I've been feeling it more and more as these events kept happening… And I think it's pulling me to Cybertron." Elita explained, placing a hand over her chest-plates. "Call it a hunch, but… There's something I must do there, Ratchet; something that may help us." She added, sighing.

The medic didn't know what to do, but, in the end, he decided to trust his friend, and went to activate the space-bridge. Elita instructed him to leave her in Polyhex, and so the medic did.

The vortex flashed and twirled into life in front of the commander, who started to walk towards it.

Ratchet didn't turn to look at the leaving femme, even though she promised to be back to finish the fight.

* * *

Ambulon's head was ringing when he slowly started to open his optics, gasping when he realized that he wasn't in the clinic anymore; but nothing compared to the fear he felt as soon as he realized that he was tied to a large stretcher… and that the place was strangely familiar… The memories of another facility, back on his days as a Decepticon, hit his processor like a tsunami. In no time, the poor medic started to hyperventilate, while he tried desperately to break free.

And that's when things got worse, as the heavy and paused footsteps announced the entrance of that monster; and a round, big red optic glowed in the doorway.

It was a déjà vu… One that he really wished not to be living.

* * *

By the time Ultra Magnus arrived to the space-bridges, the Triplets and Hot Rod were already awaiting for him with all the stuff he asked. The commander nodded, thanked them all, and said that he would continue alone from there; thing that made everyone exchange a confused look. He was planning to leave them? They all thought that they were going to Earth with him! As soon as the Wrecker activated a portal to the foreign planet, preparing himself to bridge, Hot Rod took a step forward.

"I'm coming with you, sir." He offered.

"No, you're not, soldier. Stay here, help Jazz and the others, and defend our home…" The commander said, while grabbing all the stuff he was going to take with him.

"With all due respect, sir… My friend Smokescreen is on that planet, an Elite Guard such as myself, and I want to be there. I might not be of much assistance, but, at least, I want to say that I tried." The orange mech said.

"If Roddy decided to go, then I'll go too." Side Burn suddenly said, walking up to his friend. "After all, you'll need someone to watch his back." He added with a warm smile, while patting the other Elite Guard on the shoulder.

"If Side is going, then you'll have to take me along." X-Brawn announced, crossing his arms. "Just to make sure that my little brother stays focused…"

And, then, the last mech also took a step forward, making the commander look at them all from above his shoulder. Prowl was silently offering himself too… because his two brothers already did so…

Sighing, Ultra Magnus simply nodded and entered the vortex, followed by the other four mechs.

* * *

Jazz was preparing a barricade on the main street, several feet in front of the clinic, while Drift was mobilizing all the medics on the area, telling them to prepare to treat wounded ones immediately. The army of 'Cons was already too close, and they needed to work fast. "We're outnumbered fifty to one… This isn't good enough. We need more people…" The lieutenant was thinking, while watching over the makeshift low walls to take cover. With this equipment, they weren't going to make it… not for long. But they were the only thing between those 'Cons and the whole planet. And Jazz wasn't going to lose his home twice because of those morons.

However, his prayers were soon heard when the roar of a few engines made him look towards the residential district, noticing four newcomers, zooming in at max speed. Alarmed, everyone readied their guns, only to be stopped by Galatea who said that they were her friends.

Jazz gestured everyone to calm down, while asking the femme to explain herself.

"I said that I was going to help you with the numbers… And so I found that there were some old teammates nearby and called them over." She said.

Then, the car that was leading the group came to a halt and transformed into a femme of fuchsia armor and hair of fire. She had the Autobot insignia proudly carved on the middle of her chest. The other three followed her example, revealing a group of four femmes; and, then, all the mechs knew it: they were seeing the remnants of the femmes' army.

The tallest one, the femme of fire hair, walked up to Jazz and placed her hands on the sides of her hip.

"My name is Firestar, Third in Command of the femmes' army." She introduced herself. "Galatea contacted me, told me what's going on, and, so, I brought as many old acquaintances as I could find nearby." She explained gesturing to the femmes behind her. "These are Flareup, Moonracer, and Override."

The three femmes nodded when named. Fareup was orange and red, with a cerulean visor covering her eyes, her protoform was black, and she was carrying a long gun behind her back. Guessing that she was a good shooter, Jazz paired her up with Crosshairs; but Firestar refused, saying that they were partners most of the time, leaving the green mech without partner. The lieutenant guessed that they would ending partnering up again…

Override was more aerodynamic, with silver grey and red paintjob. She said that her speed was her secret weapon, and as she admitted to be Velocitronian, Jazz paired her up with Blurr, who was also a speedster. None of them seemed to have trouble with this, so they simply nodded and went to take position.

Now, there was Moonracer… who ran up to Powerglide as soon as they recognized each other. Before they could do anything about it, they were hugging, happy of seeing that they both were find.

"Um… Ahem!" Jazz cleared his throat trying to gain their attention.

At this attention call, both young bots let go from each other, though Powerglide refused to release the femme's hand. The lieutenant didn't need to ask: those two were dating during the war, and this was their first reunion after it. It was then when Moonracer said that she was a top class shooter, and that she would be more useful with Galatea.

"But she doesn't have an armor thick enough to endure close range fights; you do. So you'll stay at ground level, 'Racer." Firestar said, before turn to look at the light grey femme. "And you'll find a high ground."

The grey young femme nodded and entered the clinic, decided to get a better view from the roof. Crosshairs, then, preferred to stay with Moonracer, since both of them were good shooters. The rest of them were told to take position behind the barricades and to stand their ground. They would protect the city as long as they could.

* * *

"Hello, Ambulon." The tall violet mech said, looking down at the medic that was tied down to the stretcher, trembling. "It's been a long time."

"Y-you…" The prisoner stammered.

Shockwave turned away and typed something on a keyboard, making a bunch of screens turn on. As they filled with data logs, the medic couldn't help but shiver in fear when he recognized his own blueprints shown in one of the many monitors, next to a very detailed picture of a T-cog. He knew what it meant, and, for so, he knew that he _had_ to run away as soon as possible, or this would be more than just a déjà vu… It would be a time loop!

"W-what do you want?! You already took everything from me!" Ambulon yelled, struggling with his bonds.

"I require your medical training to fix something for me. Then, you'll allow me to complete _Project Combiner_." The chief scientist said with his typically monotone voice, not even looking back at him.

"Frag you!"

As soon as he said this, Ambulon felt someone pressing an Energon prod against his left leg. Without his notice, Starscream entered the room, and placed himself next to the surgical table. The Seeker didn't like the prisoner's attitude, reason why he did it; and he didn't let go from Ambulon, until Shockwave told him to.

The medic relaxed, venting heavily, and glaring at the air commander.

"You seem to forget the position you're in." The silver grey mech said, showing off his claws. "You will do what we say, or, this time, you won't make it to the door."

"The project is a failure… My team got terminated… Have you forgotten?" Ambulon panted.

"That problem has been fixed." Shockwave informed him. "The project is now viable."

Then, four mechs entered the med-bay saying that they were ready to proceed, and Ambulon felt how the chief scientist peeled him off the table, making room for the newcomers.

* * *

Only after Ultra Magnus announced his arrival to the planet, Ratchet told everyone about Elita's leaving. It alarmed everyone, starting with Fowler who thought that the femme believed that the fight was already lost, and jumped off the ship before it sunk; but the old medic calmed him.

"Elita-One is not known for running away from danger, Agent Fowler; but for heading straight-forward _towards_ it." The white and orange bot said, while opening the ground-bridge for the commander. "She said that there was something she needed to do on Cybertron, but she assured me that she would return to help us in battle, and I must believe in her word."

"Besides, she would _never_ leave a friend in distress." Chromia completed, crossing her arms.

The cerulean femme knew the pink one since forever; they were best friends long before the war spread out, so she knew for sure that Elita was no coward, and that she would be back on time. Ironhide knew it too; even Arcee said that the femmes' commander never faltered to her team, and that she sure won't start now. But, regardless of their votes of trust, Fowler still prepared for the worst. So, since the Wrecker already arrived, the black man ordered Jasper's evacuation.

Right on the moment in which the governmental agent called his superiors, the tall blue bot walked into the base, receiving a welcome from the whole team, including Knock Out who was honestly happy of seeing him. The Autobot greeted them, announcing that he brought some back-up with him, and stepped aside to allow the newcomers in. The first one in cross the bridge was Prowl, followed closely by his older brother, X-Brawn. Then, two young mechs entered the base, carrying three relics with them; and Smokescreen gasped in joy.

"Side Burn! Hot Rod!" He yelled, running up to the newcomers, while the ground-bridge closed.

"Hey, Smokey!" Side Burn greeted him, bumping fists with the other Elite Guard. "Good to see you're still in one piece!"

"Is great to see you on Earth, guys!" Then he turned to look at the orange and golden mech, who was the oldest of the three. "Hey, Roddy! Why so silent?" He asked with a bright smile.

"Let's just say that I'm going to scrap you in our next training session… And you too Side!" He roared, looking at both mechs, who flinched. Though being himself a clown, Hot Rod was the best warrior of them three during their training, and, if they had to ask, he still was… "I almost got shot when defending the Academy! Many times, actually! I needed you, guys!"

Bumblebee exchanged a quizzical look with Knock Out and the others, before look back at the three mechs that were arguing. So those were Smokey's friends from training. It was hard to believe that the three of them went through the hardest military training that there was on Cybertron, such as the Elite Guard… After all, their personalities didn't show their training; Ultra Magnus was more a graduated of that class, rather than those three. Or, maybe, they were still too young… After all, according to Smokescreen, the training became a boot camp when the war started; so, perhaps, the discipline loosen up in order to simply give the rookies some tools to survive the conflict. The protocols and stuff could be learned later.

It was then when Ultra Magnus decided to restore the order by clearing his throat, and, then, by putting down his case with weapons and ammunition. The bots were glad to see that he brought enough for a war, because they guessed that it would be like one out there…

"We also brought the surviving relics. All of them, except the Star Saber." He added, looking at the two Elite Guards, who placed them on top of the closed case.

Smokescreen took the Phase Shifter and attached it to his wrist.

"Just like the old times." He thought out loud.

"Whatever, Destiny Boy; just make sure of play for the team this time…" Arcee mocked him, while walking up to the relics. "I guess that I will take the Apex Armor. I'm the smaller one after all…" She announced, grabbing the item. "Meaning that I will need a weapon, sir. With this I can't use my blasters." The femme added, looking up at the commander's face.

Ultra Magnus nodded. That's why he brought his personal arsenal after all!

"What about the Polarity Gauntlet?" Bulkhead wondered.

"What does that do?" Nighglider asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Basically, it's a giant magnet…" Bumblebee explained with a shrug. "But it could help us to keep those things away from Jasper. I'm taking it."

Nodding and smirking, Arcee tossed the item towards the yellow mech, who caught it in midair. They had their weapons; time to start thinking their strategy…

* * *

The Decepticon horde reached the city's border, and was starting to open its way inside of it, finding very little to almost none resistance. It didn't took long for them to realize that the Autobots' number decreased dramatically during the war, meaning that the city was terribly vulnerable. As the war prisoners started to take over the place, the few 'Bots that were trying to keep them at stake realized that the situation was beyond desperate for them. And so, any Autobot or Neutral who could move and knew how to shoot a gun received an emergency message from Jazz, calling them to back him and his team up at Iacon's entrance, where they were trying to stop the runaway Decepticons. However, as almost nobody answered the call, the lieutenant found himself losing terrain quick enough. "Thanks for nothing…" He thought with a growl, while shooting down a flyer that tried to outsmart him.

Unfortunately, another one dodged his attacks and went straight after the city's center.

"Scrap! Silverbolt! A bastard avoided me, is heading downtown!" The lieutenant said, through the commlink, while transforming and driving back towards the city.

« _I got him! Oh, and, Jazz? You've a big one on your rear, I can see him from here…_ » The old Aerialbot answered.

Jazz could see him too: a big black vehicle that looked like a hybrid between a tank and a hedgehog was right behind him. At least, the explosion not too far ahead told him that Silverbolt took care of the 'Con that bypassed him… And, fortunately for him, as soon as his chaser was about to shoot him, Drift crashed on the tank's side to take him off-course. Both vehicles twirled around, until they transformed, coming to a halt.

The white and orange knight drew out his swords, preparing to fight. The other guy was a very tall, very bulky, and very _angry_ mech that had the Decepticon insignia proudly carved on his chest. His right hand was a cannon.

« _Drift! What are you…?!_ » Jazz's voice came through the commlink.

"I got this one under control, lieutenant. The city needs you more than I do. Go." The knight told his friend.

Suddenly, the black mech chuckled, recognizing his voice.

"Deadlock… It's been a while…"

"I don't answer to that name anymore, Turmoil." That said, he jumped towards the Decepticon commander.

* * *

The moment she stepped out of the space-bridge, Elita's spark missed a few beats at the sight of a healed Cybertron. Yes, the ruins were yet very visible; but to see that the planet's luminescence was bathing her again… It was breathtaking for the pink femme, who had to close her eyes and take a deep vent to remind herself that she wasn't there to admire the landscape. And that's how the itch returned; only that, now she could tell it wasn't an 'itch'. Something was pulling her. "I know where to go now." She thought while transforming and starting her engine.

The sound of explosions called her attention, noticing the flashes of a battle in the rebuilt part the city that was disappearing behind her. Iacon. With a nostalgic sigh, the femme sped up.

She needed to hurry. Her friends would slow down the Combiners, but they wouldn't stop them forever.

A quick shadow flew right above her, and three strange silhouettes disappeared in the distance.

* * *

It took him a long time to convince Skylyinx and Darksteel, but, in the end, the three of them came to agree in one thing: they all _hated_ Shockwave; and, if help the Autobots meant to ruin that cyclops's plans… then so be it. So, once the three Predacons decided to take the risk and show themselves on the city streets, Predaking admitted that there was one more stop that they needed to do before go to scrap some 'Cons.

Though the other two mechs exchanged a quizzical look at their leader's sudden change of mind, they quickly shrugged it off. The older Predacon has managed to keep them alive despite the harsh environment, and the almost complete lack of shelter at the Sea of Rust. There was no reason to start doubting him now. And so, the three of them transformed and took off…

From up high, they were able to see the battle that already burst out in Iacon streets, and the horde of Decepticons that where charging against the survivor Autobots. No doubt that Ultra Magnus was right, and this was part of some bigger plan. "We are already late. We need to hurry up." The dragon-like Predacon thought, while indicating his brothers to speed up. They would take a shortcut through Polyhex lands.

However, he couldn't help but wonder what the pink moving thingy was…

* * *

The repairs were done. The regulators were now connected to the soldiers' power cores and were fully operational… So, Ambulon guessed that he was no longer of use, and that Shockwave would now dispose of him. But he didn't, in fact, he forced the medic to refuel. After doing so, the former 'Con got to know why the scientist was so interested in him: they needed a replacement, since the Stuncticons were missing a teammate. In other words, they wanted him to… combine…

Panicking, the white and orange mech stumbled several feet back, while shaking his head in denial. No! No, he wouldn't go through that again! Not after what happened the first time! But, unfortunately for him, the place was stuffed with Decepticons who were talking about nothing else but _Project Combiner_ , and, for so, when Ambulon's back bumped onto a wall, a tall, black mech of purple optics walked up to him.

"You _will_ combine with us. Either you like it, or not." He said, grabbing the medic's arm, dragging him towards the hallway, where the rest of his team was.

"Ha! He will share his mind with us?" Wildrider chortled, bending over to hold onto his knees.

"I feel pity for him already…" Dead End commented.

Ambulon desperately tried to break free from Motormaster's grip, but all he got was the taller mech gritting his fingers around the medic's wrist. The former 'Con would've screamed, tried to convince them of letting him go with some invented reasons, but he couldn't articulate sounds. He was at the verge of suffering a spark-attack, because of the memories… Because the history was about to repeat itself.

A few steps away from there, Starscream was watching the whole scene next to his Seekers, the chief scientist, and Solar Flare. It was promising: sixteen Decepticon soldiers that would soon combine into the ultimate destruction weapon. Fifteen of them were also enhanced to be bulletproof; and the Autobots surely didn't know how to fight this threat.

"Well done, Shockwave. With this, we will finally defeat our enemies, and claim our rightful place on Cybertron!" The air commander said, fisting one of his hands in anticipation for the battle.

"If the army of Decepticons that Solar Flare released back on our home planet succeeds, by the time we arrive with the Combiners, we would be able to take down whoever's left to fight us." Shockwave asserted with a nod.

"But, first, we will try your creation with the Autobots that lives in this planet. Then, we will move to ours…" The silver grey Seeker said.

Though Skywarp seemed to be thrilled with the idea; Thundercracker's second thoughts were starting to fill his processor, which was about to have a glitch. As a Seeker trained in Vos, and as a Decepticon, he had to fight for his trine; but, as a Cybertronian, who was as tired of the war as anybody else…

Sighing, the cerulean mech looked away from the army in front of him with sad eyes.

They already ravaged their own planet because of this stupid war… Should they do the same to this one? Organic or not, planet Earth was not theirs to decide its fate.

* * *

Predaking and his brethren arrived to the coordinates provided by Ultra Magnus, and landed nearby what looked like a den. It didn't look inhabited… Was this the right place? Maybe it was just a trick from the blue mech, and they fell like idiots. Growling at the idea, the older Predacon was about to tell his companions that they were leaving, when the sound of steps stopped him.

There _was_ someone living in that place!

Frowning, the dragon-like beast transformed to be able to talk with the stranger, but the owner was faster than the intruder.

"Predacons?" A hoarse voice wondered out loud, echoing a little inside of the cave. "Who are you? What do you want?" The same voice asked, while walking closer. A red visor became visible.

It made Predaking arch and eyebrow. Red? Wasn't cerulean the color of the Autobots? Who was this person?

Nevertheless, Ultra Magnus didn't lie, so he had to fulfill his word too…

"My name is Predaking. I came in behalf of Ultra Magnus." He said.

There was a moment of silence, then a ruffle inside the den, and, then, four more red optics and visors shone between the shadows. However, only the same from before kept talking with the intruders.

"What does he want from us?"

"A favor: Shockwave is endangering the Autobots' city. There's an army running towards it, and their own soldiers are heavily outnumbered." The Predacon said, without receiving an answer, only whispers on the background. "Ultra Magnus didn't share many details with us, only that he would seek for us to be able to live among the Autobots, after the battle is over; and, by the looks of it, you require his help in this matter too. So…"

"Dude." The same of before, who Predaking now took as the group's leader, interrupted him. "You convinced us at the mention of Shockwave…"

And so, the Predacons transformed and started to fly towards the battlefield, followed closely by this mysterious Cybertronians.

A powerful roar filled the night's air.

* * *

 **So, this is all for now!**

 **I'll try to finish the next chapter soon enough, but there're so many things happening that it's taking longer than I thought!**

 **Tell me what you think!**

 **See ya!**


	38. THIRTY SIX: Till All Are One part 1

***Nightglider, Galatea, and pretty much every OC in the story appears fanning an almost fainted Calliope* Can't... keep... writing...**

 **Galatea: *massaging the author's shoulders like some sort of coach* C'mon! You're halfway done! Just one last effort!**

 **Nightglider: Yeah! One chapter and an epilogue! That's it! You're almost there!**

 ***Calliope tries to incorporate* One... more... chaaaaapteer... *Falls down again* Too exhausted... No... Can't reach keyboard...**

 **Millie: Please... You can't let down your readers. Look! 105 reviews! *Pulling from the author* You have to get up!**

 **Sunscorch: *suddenly entering the room* Alright, girl. Here're the facts: you haven't writing my return yet, and I really hate to be the damsel in distress, lying down on a stretcher as some freaking Cybertronian version of the 'Sleeping Beauty'. So, you can either move your ass, and write the end of this story;** ** _or_** **, I can write it for ya', which I'm sure you won't enjoy. Which one will be?**

 ***Suddenly, Calliope gets on her feet in one jump* I'm good, I'm good. See? I'm fine. Thank you, Scorch, but your offer won't be necessary. I'm good. *Gets on the computer* Hello, everybody! Sorry you saw that... But I've been writing since the last time we talked and... I have good news, and bad news...**

 **Bad news: I haven't wrote the end of the story yet. The last chapter turned out to be way longer than estimated, meaning that I had to take a decision: I could, either, upload the whole finished thing and let you suffer because of how much you were going to wait, plus the file's lenght; or, I could upload the first part now, so you had something to entertain yourselves with, while I finish the other half.**

 **Which leads us to the good news: I'm uploading the first half today, reason why there will be one more chapter.**

 **Seeker3** **:**

 **Hahaha! I'm glad you're happy about the new bots on the fic! At some point I started to search for the G1 Autobots (since I never watched the show, I didn't know who were there, except for the ones I heard about on other shows, and/or in the movies), and I thought it would be a little more fair for the 'Bots to have flyers on their team... However, I decided that I wouldn't bring back all the Aerialbots; though I liked the description of the leader, reason why I brought him back! ^^**

 **About Ambulon: I got to know about him by chance, through some quiz that a friend shared with me. At first I thought it wasn't a real Transformer, so I Googled him and learned about his alt-mode bad luck. The idea of combine him with the Stunticons came from the fact that Breakdown got terminated in the show, so they were needing a replacement; and, there you have a perfect spare leg walking around the clinic! But, yes, if the characters were real, this particular one would chase me 'till the End of Times... *Looks at Knock Out and Starscream* And he probably wouldn't be the only one...**

 **Oh, and, Grimlock? Optimus already rode you like a horse in** ** _Age of Extinction_** **, so your complains are invalid!**

 **Sympathy Effect** **: (long comment, long answer XD)**

 **There, there... I know, I know... I also had the bad idea of check out the comics. But I do rescue** ** _Drift_** **!**

 **Galatea: *reading the review* Why is he asking for my name? What's the matter about it?**

 **Nightglider: He didn't found it Cybertronian enough... *glares at the author* And, yes, I still remember** ** _my name's_** **origin...**

 **Oh, boy... He'll never drop it. Look, I know that it's based on a Greek myth, but so is Dai Atlas, who is an actual Transformer, which I found on Drift's comic; so I didn't give it much of a thought! *Shrugs***

 **Trust me, Elita went to a very important place... *Evil grin***

 **Too bad you'll be gone for a while. Sorry it took me this long to update, but I really had this delusional idea of uploading the whole final chapter... Until last night I realized that I wrote twenty two pages and was nowhere close to the end. But, I hope that, whenever you return to the site, you'll enjoy these chapters.**

 **And, please don't be so mean with the 'silly stories' because I used to write them too, when I was in high school. We all improve. I like to think I did.**

 **I'm glad you opened my fic even when you didn't like the main character, it was funny to answer, and, sometimes, argue with you (like the first time you commented XD). As I told you many times, I like to receive constructive critisism, because it allows the person to improve; as much as I hate destructive criticism, because it tends to undermine your confidence. You weren't a bad reviewer, only one with a lot of opinions! Haha!**

 **And, about Knock Out: I chose him because he was the only 'Con who openly claims to switch sides (even when it was just to save his own aft), and, because, there're little moments in the show in which you see that he's mean most of the time, because the people around him is mean to him. I'm referring to the scene in which Ratchet says 'thank you' to him, and, suddenly, Knock Out gives him an honest 'you're welcome'; also, to when Starscream yells at him when they were trying to recover the Nemesis in** ** _Predacons Rising._** **For a second there, you can see how it hurt him to be treated that way after he agreed to help the Seeker; which ends up with Knock Out double-crossing Starscream. Finally, there was that rare moment of humility when Optimus puts him at the same level of the Autobots, which finally convinced me that, if a human would've been kind enough to him, he might've betrayed the 'Cons sooner. So, I created him a past as a Neutral, gave him a reason to have ended where he did, being who he was; then, added some OCs, and decided to redeem the only character who chose to switch sides.**

 **Though I understand now why you didn't like the Knock Out from the show... Yeah, there're lots of people like him. But! If you see it in the bright way, he was a comical relief, reason why he was created to be mocked on every episode; not to mention that he slowly became a drama queen... He wasn't actually a serious character... You can see a criticism hidden there somewhere ;)**

 **Thanks for the good wishes! Good luck to you too!  
**

 **DaHoboJoenME :**

 **I can, and I did! Haha! No, speaking seriously, sorry about the delay; it wasn't my intention... But as I said, this chapter was simply growing longer, and longer, and, finally, I had to decide whether to keep torturing you, or give you something to entertain yourselves with, while I work in the fic's end.**

 **Sorry for the delay. ;)**

 ***Sees the other reviews* Ok, apparently all the Autobots decided to leave a message in here... Um... Let's see...**

 **Bumblebee :**

 **Yeah... I'm surprised that Megatron said 'thanks' too... Be careful, he might be up to something. By the way, I'm glad you're fine with the long chapters... let's see if you still feel the same way after this one...**

 **And... Yeah... I kind of saw 'To Catch a Phrase'... You should probably leave the inspirational phrases to Optimus.**

 **Megatron :**

 **I can promise you one thing: you'll never find slash in my stories. Though, I'm surprised that I admitted my dislikes towards you, and yet, you decided to stick around... That's... Wow. *Thumbs up* Thanks!**

 **Ultra Magnus :**

 **Sorry, I thought you would know how to 'socialize' with people... Um... Guess I should've given you better instructions... But, you could always ask to Bumblebee and Smokescreen. They're the most sociable bots in the team (a.k.a. stay away from Wheeljack, we have enough with one of him already...).**

 **And thanks for the good criticisms! I'm more an Autobot than a Decepticon, so, of course that I chose the good guys' side to write about! About the structure... well, it's the best I could do... -_-U**

 **Wheeljack :**

 ***Pulling him away from Ultra Magnus* The commander's gonna be fine without your 'advices', thank you! And thanks for saying that you like the humor in the story!**

 **Knock Out :**

 **... The chapters' titles? That's all you like about the story?**

 **And also, c'mon! Stop whining about your finish already! I'm treating you quite fairly as a main character in here! Ugh... You officially earned your first sparkling if I ever write a future story.**

 **Ratchet :**

 **Hey, Ratch! Nice to see you! I like to answer the reviews! It's a good way to have a feedback from author to reader, and back! ^^**

 **Smokescreen :**

 **Tailgate?! I didn't decpited him like Tailgate, did I?! *OCs looks away awkwardly* Oops... I didn't notice. Sorry, Smokey... I hope my description of you improves from now on...**

 **Alright... I think those are all, right? I didn't miss anybody, did I?**

 **Good. Let's keep going.**

 **Warning: English isn't my mother language, so there might be mistakes in here.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own _Transformers_ franchise, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **THIRTY SIX: Till All Are One part 1**

 _There was some strange light that covered the images, but somehow, they were crystal clear all the same… He knew what was going on. Was it… him? Suddenly, it was hard to tell; it has been so long since the time of those memories…_

 _But the light of the screens was always so familiar to him. Chuckling to himself, he remembered that he always thought of that place as his second home. How naïve he was back on those days… On the other hand, in those times he never imagined that he would travel out of the planet. Nor that he would made so peculiar friends…_

 _Or did he?_

 _Those days were so far away, he was so different from who he became…_

* * *

The children were watching their friends gear up for the battle against the Combiners, wishing that this would be like any other mission before, and that the bots would return to base safe and sound with more stories to share with them. Fowler was the only human who wasn't in the control room with them, since he was locked up in his office talking with the military, preparing a counterattack in case something went wrong; though the bots told him that, if they weren't able to stop the 'Cons, then no human force would be capable of do it… Apparently, a Combiner was harder to defeat than anyone could imagine, and there were now three of them on their way. Jack could tell that even Ultra Magnus was worried this time…

With a sigh, the oldest teenager in the room walked closer to his partner, Arcee and asked her to be careful. He wouldn't dare to say it out loud, but given that the femme was the smallest bot in the team, the boy couldn't deny that he was worried sick for her. The two-wheeler wasn't as strong as her companions, because she was designed to be stealth and agile, not to use brute force ―unlike Ironhide or Bulkhead, whose armors were thicker and heavier.

The blue femme chuckled, and turned to look at him.

"Don't worry, Jack. I'll be back for supper, I promise." The warrior said with a smirk, placing a hand on the side of her hip.

"Just… hold onto the Apex Armor, 'Cee. You heard the others, this is gonna be tough." He asked.

"Can't be harder than fight a Predacon." She retorted with a shrug.

At that moment Wheeljack called back to base, asking for a ground-bridge, saying that everything was ready. Ratchet opened the portal, and the white mech crossed the vortex, saying that he installed all the mines and grenades that Ironhide asked. Those were booby-traps for the 'Cons, in case they bypassed the team and threatened the city. The explosions would buy the humans a couple more minutes to escape.

"Which reminds me…" Ratchet said, before turn to look at the four children who were standing next to him on the structure made of catwalks.

They immediately understood and frowned, while crossing their arms. A couple minutes ago, the bots suggested that they were meant to evacuate next to everyone else, but the four of them refused, saying that they haven't leave the team in worst situations than this one; so, they wouldn't leave now. Even Millie refused to go away, disregarding Knock Out's worries, to the red mech's distress.

"We already told you, guys: we're going nowhere." Jack hurried to remind the bots.

"Children, we're not asking." The older medic retorted.

"So? _Hello_! Since _when_ do we do what you say?!" Miko shot back, rolling her eyes and shaking her head.

"Besides, what if you come to need us? We can't help you from afar." Rafael added.

Grunting, Ratchet massaged his temples. He had to admit that the Japanese girl had a point in one thing: this kids _never_ listened a word he said in the past; why would they start now? Especially Jack who was eighteen already. He was already on the legal age, and three years away from being considered fully an adult; so, he was on his right of refuse. But the others weren't! And, to make it worse, Millie was following the other kids without even thinking! The other three… well, the medic had to admit that it wasn't a good idea to allow them to stay with them at the base, but, at least, they had past experiences in similar situations ―which talked poorly about their guardian skills…―; unlike this little girl, who hasn't seen a Cybertronian in two years, and this was her first experience with them!

"Millie." Knock Out started, walking up to the platform. "You have to evacuate, right now."

"But…" She tried to retort, but was promptly interrupted.

"No 'buts'! Shockwave, Screamer and their brainless minions are already on their way here, and none of us knows how this battle will end! We might win, but there're chances for us to lose as well; and, if that's the case, then I can't protect you!" He gestured to his wounded arm to stress this last part. "I'm a medic, not a soldier; my fighting skills are limited. I can hardly defeat a _normal_ Cybertronian, leave alone a Combiner! So, considering that the only ones who will be left at the base are Ratchet, Sunscorch who is yet unconscious, and me, the four of you must evacuate, ASAP!"

The youngest child pondered the surgeon's words, looked at the team, and, then, at the other humans in the room. It was true that if the battle ended in defeat for the bots then they would be defenseless, but… Sighing, she looked back at her friend.

"I'm staying." That said, she walked up to Jack and the others. "You can't force me to leave."

Knock Out was about to retort that, but the others stopped him. They already went through this with their human companions, so they knew that it was pointless to try to reason with them. Reluctantly, the Velocitronian nodded, and let the child be.

Bumblebee smirked at it, knowing that the former 'Con would get used to it… eventually. Then, he looked at Ratchet.

"Open the bridge, Ratch. We're ready." He said, and the medic went to do as told. Once the portal whirled to life, the warriors started to walk towards it; but the former scout, was soon stopped by the red medic, who placed a hand on his shoulder to earn his attention. "What is it?" He asked, arching an eyebrow.

"I… Well, in case the worst happens, I wanted to thank you for… For everything you did for me, even when you didn't have to." Knock Out said, offering his hand to Bumblebee.

Smiling, the yellow warrior took the other mech's servo and shook hands with him. Their rivalry was finally behind them for good.

"You're welcome." The warrior said, receiving a nod.

"However, try to come back in one piece, though. I don't want to add your name to the list of people I lost in this fragged war." The medic added, letting go from the law enforcer.

"Oh, so we're friends now?" Bumblebee joked, receiving a chuckle.

"Oh, I _so_ want to take back my comment now…" Knock Out teased, rolling his eyes and smirking.

Nevertheless, they simply nodded at each other one more time, before the warrior masked himself and walked towards the ground-bridge, following the rest of the team; but quickly walked up to Rafael who was at the platform's security riel.

"Please come back alive, 'Bee." The boy said.

"You know me, Raf. I'll be back soon enough." The warrior answered with a wink, before ran towards the vortex, disappearing inside of it.

Arcee did the same, and it was the Wrecker's turn, so Bulkhead prepared to go into the battlefield next to Wheeljack; but not before look back at Miko, who smirked at them.

"Go get 'em!" She said, cheerfully; only to, suddenly, become more serious. "And come back safely, ok?"

"You know we will, girl." The white mech chuckled, masking himself.

"If the worst happens, promise that you'll go back to Tokyo without trouble." The green Wrecker pleaded, receiving a pout. "Miko…"

"Ok, ok. I promise." The teenager gave in, averting her eyes and crossing her arms.

"Good." Bulkhead nodded, before turn to look at his partner.

He and Wheeljack bumped fists and ran into the vortex, followed closely by Ultra Magnus and the Triplets. Then, the three Elite Guards saluted the humans before follow the rest of the team; leaving only Ironhide, Chromia, and Nightglider behind.

The flyer said his goodbyes to Knock Out, who wished him luck and asked him the same he did to Bumblebee. The black mech nodded with a chuckle; then, glanced at the slumbering figure of his former partner, Sunscorch, before walk towards the ground-bridge. However, before going in, he turned to look at the humans and dedicated them a smirk. Surprised the kids shared a quizzical look before return the gesture.

Satisfied, the black bot crossed the portal.

Time for the two remaining warriors to do the same…

Ironhide walked up to Ratchet in the last minute to high five with the old bot who, sighing, did so. But, then, the medic closed his grip on the weapons specialist before he could walk away.

"Don't you _dare_ to disappear for another half million years, 'Hide." The white and orange mech snarled, frowning.

"I can't make any promises, you know that, Ratch." The bulky bot chuckled, arching an eyebrow.

"Don't worry, I'll keep his aft safe… As usual." Chromia commented with a sly smirk, surprising both males who didn't see her approaching. "Oh, and, Ratchet, whenever you hear of Elita…"

"I'll contact you immediately." The medic interrupted the cerulean femme. "I know. Now go." He added, and both warriors disappeared into the vortex, next to everyone else. "Good luck…" Ratchet whispered once the ground-bridge closed.

The scene… He saw it so many times: all his friends running straight-forward into the danger, while he remained behind, at the base's safety. Rarely did he see the battlefield, even on Cybertron; but those few times were enough for him to understand the amount of danger his friends managed to live through day after day during the war.

As he walked back to the mainframe's controls, where Knock Out and the kids were, the old Autobot prayed for this to be the last time he had to see his friends ran towards the battlefield.

* * *

Jazz was in a hand-to-hand battle with a Decepticon, covering for Crosshairs, who was dragging Moonracer back to the clinic, after the poor femme received a shot that incapacitated her. Thank the Matrix for Silverbolt's presence, otherwise Powerglide would've abandoned his position to help the mint green lass, who was quickly taken inside by some nurses when the black and green warrior called for help.

The fugitives made it further than anyone foresaw, reason why they were now fighting them at the very doors of the clinic; and some of those bastards went straight to the city's center. Jazz and Firestar knew themselves heavily outnumbered, but felt better when they saw that the Council finally decided to give a slag about their people, and sent their guards to fight the runaway Decepticons, while the civilians escaped with the sparklings.

Suddenly, the lieutenant's knee junctions gave in, reason why he fell and was about to be finished by his opponent, if it wasn't for the sudden intromission of a cerulean mech, who tackled the bot of red optics away from the Autobot. Then, the warrior that called himself Blades finished the 'Con. He ran out of ammunition a little while ago, reason why he was relying on his set of knifes and swords.

Jazz started to collect himself from the ground, receiving a little help from the cerulean speedster, Blurr. Once he was on his feet, the white mech took a look around. They were losing the fight…

"We can still turn the tables." Blurr commented, trying to cheer up the lieutenant. "We just need some luck." That said, he ran off, towards the next 'Con in line, helping Override with some drones that were pinning her legs.

"We don't need 'luck'… We need a slagging miracle…" The mech of the blue visor muttered, before scan the area for Firestar.

The tall femme was kicking some tailpipe with the help of her partner, Flareup, who was shooting at anything that had red optics or visor, and moved. Those two seemed unstoppable, but Jazz could see right through their façade: they were becoming exhausted. In fact, some femmes were already panting; not to mention that some of the mechs were about to break too… Only then he noticed that he lost complete track of Drift.

Alarmed, Jazz scanned the area, but he couldn't find it.

"Anyone has eyes on Drift?!" He asked through the commlink, while dodging a shot, and deploying his own blaster.

« _I see him, sir!_ » Galatea's voice announced. « _He's still fighting that tall and creepy guy from before… He doesn't seem very well…_ »

* * *

Drift's system was indicating a countless number of injuries on his body, as he got himself tossed against the nearest wall again; only to be picked up by the throat, and, then, squashed against the street light. Turmoil laughed at his pain, obviously elated for the situation; and the knight knew the why of this too: because _he_ turned him in, back when he defected the Decepticons.

"I waited a long time for this, Deadlock…" The tall and black mech hissed, before punch him in the head with his cannon's muzzle. The poor white and orange Autobot yelped in pain, only to feel that his former commander plastered the weapons mouth to his waist. The cannon started to warm up. "Now, you're going to pay the price for your treason."

"The Decepticons betrayed themselves…" Drift whispered, tiredly, defenseless.

His swords slipped away from his hands two or three punches and shots ago; his lone weapon now was the ancient sword that Atlas entrusted him with, but it was clutched on his back, and, as soon as he reached for it, Turmoil would put an end to his life. He was trapped. Well… At least he would see Wing again, right? It wouldn't be that bad… he hoped. He did all he could to mend the way he lived since the day he got named Deadlock by Megatron; so, there was a chance that he put his life in order. Not completely, sure, but…

But it seemed that today was not his day, as someone shot Turmoil from behind, allowing the knight to break free. Surprised, he looked for his rescuer, but his optics couldn't see who freed him.

« _You're welcome!_ » Galatea's voice chimed through his commlink.

"I owe you one, girl!" He happily told her, while jumping away from his former commander, who, seeing that his prey got away, decided to attack the sniper who forced him to let go from Drift.

Seeing this, the knight grabbed the sword that was pending on his back; and the blue crystal from the handle started to glow immediately, draining energy from its owner's spark, and calling the Decepticon's attention. Turmoil couldn't help but gasp at the sight of Drift leaping towards him; his ancient sword ready to fulfill its purpose, and finish the black mech who quickly covered his face with his cannon… which was cut like butter by the knight's sword.

In pain, the black mech couldn't shield himself when Drift kicked him in the middle of the chest, sending him backwards. Turmoil fell on his back, and the knight hurried to step onto him, pinning him down and pointed at him with his sword, ready to finish the fight… permanently.

"Go ahead." The 'Con said.

Drift clenched his teeth, and strengthened his grip around his sword's handle. His arms were shaking with indecision.

He wanted to do it, but…

"We both know you wanted to do it for a long time. So? Do it." Turmoil taunted the Autobot.

The things he did… The things _they_ did…

It were beyond forgiveness…

The memory of an old monastery in a faraway planet came back to his processor.

He had to put an end to it.

"C'mon, finish me. It's the right thing to do, isn't it?" Turmoil kept going.

Drift extended his arms, readying himself for the final blow.

It was time to finish with all of it.

"Do it, Deadlock!"

« _Drift, don't!_ » Jazz's voice echoed in the back of his head, through the commlink.

 _"There's always an option."_ The voice of a ghost suddenly ringed on his audio receptors.

And, suddenly, the ancient sword fell a few feet away from where the knight was, while the orange and white mech punched his former commander in the face, sending him to dreamland. Panting, exhausted for both, the fight and the power that the sword drained from him, the warrior stumbled a few steps away from the black mech.

It was done.

He was finally free…

"I'm… no longer… Deadlock…" He managed to say before collapsing, out of exhaustion.

If only Wing would've been there to see it. Then it would've been perfect.

* * *

 _He never felt so impotent until that night at the warehouses, when he found her lying on the cold floor… Up until that moment he never thought that someone who preached for peace and equality could be capable of commit such awful acts. Again, he was really naïve… If he would've only seen the hints, the small details that were alarming everyone around that guy…_

 _But after that night…_

 _Thinking about it, it was_ that _what made him change, what started his slow transformation; because, before she got attacked, he would've never participated in a war. He never liked violence. He never believed in it…_

 _Sighing, reminding those events, he had to admit one thing: nobody knows for sure what their reactions would be to extreme situations. His was to jump right to the danger, desperate to protect his beloved ones… Desperate to stop the war._

 _Little he knew where that would lead him…_

* * *

The sky was covered with black, stormy clouds, and was filled by the roar of three different proppelants, as Starscream and his trine led the way, while the rest of the troops were following them from earth. The air commander had no doubt that this would be the end of the Autobot cause, and the beginning of a new era; one that Megatron discarded as a fool. But the silver grey mech knew better: their enemy faction was now weak and heavily outnumbered, not to mention unprepared. It was the right time to finish the war once and for all; but, this time, the victory would be for the Decepticons, and he would have his rightful place as Cybertron's king. All those who mistreated him and his trine brothers would pay the price… He would make sure of it.

Unknown to the commander, Thundercracker's thoughts were far away from the battlefield. He was confused, not knowing what to do, nor how to tell his companions ―his brothers― that he wasn't looking forward to this particular battle. Have been born on Vos City's hot spots, the cerulean flyer was a warrior; it was written on his CNA. He could still remember the thrill of his first combat, the joy he felt when being assigned to his trine, where he met Starscream and Skywarp. The three of them were so different back then… Skywarp was more intelligent ―whatever Shockwave did to him the day he gave him the ability to teleport, definitely broke some pieces form the purple flyer's processor…―, but it was Starscream the one who changed the most…

The silver grey mech was more… gentle. Yes. That's the right word. He was gentle. He cared about others, especially about his trine. The members of a trine becomes brothers, because their lives depends on each other when in battle.

However, after they, honorable soldiers trained in the great military city of Vos, got fired due to the corrupt system of Cyberton… something broke inside of their commander. At first, Thundercracker blamed the Senator for what they did to his brothers, and cheered the Decepticon cause as much as Starscream and Skywarp; he didn't give it too much of a thought when it led them to a war, believing that it was the logical outcome of the uprisings, and fought for Megatron as anybody else among the army. But now… What were they fighting for?

Alright, the Decepticons lost. Tough luck. But hasn't their planet seen enough war and slaughter for a lifetime? Why was Starscream so obsessed? Why couldn't they just… leave?

Suddenly, the silver grey jet chuckled.

"My, my… It seems that the Autobots prepared a welcome committee…" He mocked the 'Bots, who prepared a line of defense between the incoming 'Cons and the city. "Shockwave, tell your people to get on position. They are already waiting for us."

Seriously… Why?

* * *

The itches on her chest soon started to feel like something was burning inside of her. It was pulling from her, when it should be her the one pulling it back. That was why she had to return to Cybertron, right? This had to be the reason why she survived the war. "Our lives are meaningful, you said; we're all in here for a reason, because there's something that we must do, something that only we can fulfill. That's what you told me, you bastard." She thought, gritting her teeth in pain, while collapsing on her knees at the edge of the hole. "There's no way you left so easily." Forcing herself not to scream, the pink femme opened her chest-plates, revealing her spark-chamber.

"Nap's over." She hissed, opening her spark-chamber too.

A couple kliks passed…

And then, something reacted to her spark's presence in the depths of the Well.

* * *

 _He liked to believe that everything he did was for the greater good. That he remained as righteous as he could, but, truth be said, we all commit mistakes; in the end, nobody is perfect… Most of all when you're fighting in a war. In fact, sometimes he couldn't help but to feel that the very war was, in part, his fault. He should have known better… He should have sense that something was out of place, that… that it was all a trick… Maybe he should've listening to her, and stay out of it. But, after so many years of seeing how the world was crumbling around him… He felt like he had to do something about it, to speak up for those who couldn't…_

 _Well…_

 _At least he_ could _say that he did the best he could._

 _After all, nobody was there to teach him how to be what he was supposed to after his entitlement. It was all a matter of practice and error, and lots of study._

 _Study?_

 _Thinking it better, no. He didn't studied the subject… He kept being himself. Mostly._

 _"You can't remain like this forever, child. You must take a decision." The voice of his old friend and teacher echoed through the… What to call it? Eternity? Was there such thing as a time concept in there? He heard him chuckling at his silly doubts. "Are you afraid of join your brothers, and all those who preceded you?"_

 _No._

 _Yes?_

 _He wasn't sure anymore…_

 _No, no, it wasn't fear; it was something else._

 _But, what? What could it be?_

 _He left nothing behind._

 _His job was fulfilled…_

 _Right?_

* * *

The signals of twenty one Cybertronians approaching the team's coordinates popped up in the mainframe, reason why the four children and Fowler held their breaths; next to them, Ratchet was holding onto the keyboard, while telling the bots to get ready, that the enemy was at hand.

Knock Out wasn't with them at that very moment, but at the med-bay, checking on Sunscorch, whose biolights were now stabilized, and her vents were more regular. She would open her optics anytime now, and he wanted to be with her when that happened… However, he didn't want to leave the others alone either. So, as soon as the older medic announced the Decepticons' proximity, the surgeon ran back to the control room.

The battle was about to start. "You have to win, guys." The Velocitronian thought, looking at the Autobots' life signals. Their spark-beats were off the graphics, nervous for the idea of facing Combiners, something that nobody has ever done.

* * *

Ultra Magnus was leading the team, next to Ironhide. They all were ready, and waiting for the right time to come… What they didn't expect were the Seekers appearing all the sudden, and forcing them to scatter by shooting at sight. This wasn't the right time, but if they were planning to start sooner, then they didn't have much of a choice; they had to keep the Seekers at stake!

"They're yours, Nightglider!" The blue commander yelled, through the commlink.

Without an answer, a black jet appeared from between the clouds, and started to chase Starscream's trine away. None of them saw him coming, so they were all a little startled, and slow in their answer; until Skywarp disappeared from sight, and reappeared right behind the poor Autobot, who took evasive position, zigzagging his way out of the line of fire. Unfortunately, Seekers rarely fight alone, and soon enough Thundercracker joined his trine brother in the aerial battle. "Okay, I _really_ miss my brother right now!" NIghtglider thought, while dodging shots in midair; only to make loops and answer the fire.

He was the only Autobot with wings, so he couldn't afford to be defeated!

With that in mind, Nightglider took his chances, and made an old maneuver that he used to perform with his twin: he gained altitude, and, once he was in position, dove at max speed… right on top of his opponents, transforming in the last nanoklik. It was both, risky and stupid, but it was also effective; so he ignored the curses he was getting from Ultra Magnus, and concentrated in catching Skywarp ―from the three Seekers, the purple one was the most dangerous one due his ability to teleport. Take him down was priority in the black jet's mind…

The rest of the team was trying to shoot down the other two 'Cons, so there was no problem if he concentrated his attacks in only one of the trine members.

« _Incoming!_ » X-Brawn's voice drummed through his commlink.

It gave the Autobot flyer five seconds to transform and dodge Starscream's missile. Kind of panicking when it saw the bomb readjust its course towards him, the jet tried to maneuver away from it, but there was no time… It was going to hit him. "Not again!" He cursed his luck, preparing for impact; when, fortunately, a well-aimed shot made the projectile explode in midair, saving his aft.

The black mech saw that X-Brawn's blaster was still steaming, while the rest of the team was chasing away the Seekers the best they could.

"Thanks!" NIghtglider said to the oldest triplet.

« _Keep your optics open, soldier! You're our only flyer!_ » And that was Ultra Magnus voice… scolding him…

Sighing, the jet resumed his assault against the trine.

From earth, Ironhide ordered everyone to hold fire; then, he told that only the ones with weaker firepower would try to shoot down the Seekers, the rest of them were supposed to save their strengths for the Combiners. Everyone nodded, reason why only Arcee, Bumblebee and Side Burn resumed their attack on the jets…

And then is when the ground trembled.

"Did you feel that?" Hot Rod asked, trying to regain his balance.

Ironhide and Ultra Magnus shared a look, before turn towards the road. Three huge shadows of red optics were approaching in the distance. "They're bigger than we thought…" Bumblebee thought, while his eyes were fixed at the three dark silhouettes that were growing closer to them.

Nobody needed to ask: those were the Combiners…

The Autobots' sparks missed several beats at the sight of their enemies. They were unprepared for this fight; they just could feel it… Relics or not, they were depending in one single plan of action; if it didn't work, they didn't have a plan B. "Oh, Elita… We could really use your help right now…" Chromia thought, gulping.

Starscream flew back towards the gargantuan bots, finding Shockwave behind them. Pleased for the results, so far, the silver grey jet landed and transformed next to the violet mech, who did the same. Solar Flare appeared not to long after, but remained in vehicle from, convinced that her wheels were going to be a need soon enough.

The other two Seekers overflew the three gestalts, before take their positions at their sides, protecting the assets from upside.

"Today, the Decepticons achieve their rightful victory!" Starscream celebrated.

Ironhide frowned and took a step forward.

"Not under _my_ watch, Screamer!" The red mech said, warming up his cannons. "Autobots, take those bastards down!" He ordered.

In a blink of an eye, all the Autobots opened fire against the Combiners, who simply covered their optics with a hand, and watched the shots bounce off them; at the same time, Starscream jumped into the air, transforming, and ordered his Seekers to start the counterattack, while Shockwave did the same to the gestalts. However, he told Solar Flare to stay back.

"Why?" She asked, rudely.

"No matter how much they wish to protect the city, face three Combiners with their current firepower is illogical. They're up to something." The scientist explained.

* * *

"Nap's over."

 _That voice…_

 _He knew that voice. Where did it come from? Where was she? She wasn't with the others, he couldn't feel her there; he tried to find her in that place, but there was no sign. Why wasn't she with the others?_

 _"She was never here, lad." His old teacher answered. There was a soft and tender smile on his voice. To him, he was always going to be his pupil… The youngling he took in as an apprentice…_

 _His confusion grew._

 _She wasn't? Then… She survived that day? She was fine?_

 _A warm feeling appeared inside of him, pulling him away from his old friend's voice._

 _Yes._

 _It was her! After so long, he found her!_

 _"It appears that you've finally taken a decision." His friend chuckled. "It's alright. They'll let you leave. Your job wasn't finished anyway." As he talked, his voice started to fade away._

 _Something was pulling him further and further, in the opposite direction of where he was going, where his old friend was waiting for him..._

 _He was going... back..._

* * *

Jazz was dodging and shooting as many 'Cons as he could, while opening way towards Drift's body. The knight fell unconscious after using that weird sword of his, and a horde of enemies started to gather around him to finish him off; all of them surely remembered him as a cold blooded Decepticon killer who betrayed his army to join the Autobots, so leave him there wasn't an option. While doing so, Galatea started to shoot way further than before; thanks to this, the lieutenant saw the new wave that was approaching. At the same time there were shootings and explosions coming from the city. Good. At least the Council's guards were moving their afts to save their people…

"Someone _please_ try to hold on the new wave while I take Drift's aft back to the clinic!" Jazz pleaded through the commlink, and, in two seconds, the three trains transformed and rolled over anyone on their way. The newcomers, seeing this, either jumped aside or started to run away. "Thanks!"

He reached the knight's side on time. Turmoil was coming to, and, undoubtedly, he would try to kill the white and orange mech. Jazz jumped onto him and started to beat the scrap out of him, saving ammo for the way back.

Across the street, Firestar and Flareup were crouched behind one of the makeshift barricades, taking heavy fire from some really pissed 'Cons, when the older femme noticed the lieutenant's position, and that a very large violet mech was aiming at the white bot's head. "Mechs… They never look around…" She thought while picking up her long gun, and aiming at the aggressor. The only thing that made Jazz look up was the detonation, followed by the Decepticon falling unconscious onto the ground.

"Stay alert." Firestar told the lieutenant through the commlink.

« _And you try to recover them alive._ » He retorted, before turn to grab Drift.

"If I wanted him dead, I would've aimed for the head. He's just wounded." She retorted, while reloading for another round; but, before being able to, a 'Con pounced onto her, pinning the femme against the ground, forcing her to wrestle. Flareup tried to peel him off her superior officer, but it was useless… Until a green and black blur tackled the aggressor, shoving him off her frame. "What?"

Looking to the side, Firestar saw Crosshairs struggling with her previous attacker; and, in her opinion, he wasn't doing it very well… And she was right, the green mech always preferred to fight with his guns, but he lost one of his handguns, the other one was about to run out of ammo, and he was saving the long rifle for extreme necessities… Of course that, a fragging massive attack to the city should count like one, but, still… The idea of run out of weapons in the middle of this fight wasn't an option.

But the 'Con shoved him off and started to run away.

"Oh, no you w-! Ah! Scrap!" As soon as he tried to stand up, Crosshairs noticed that one of his ankle junctions was damaged. When he tackled the guy he had the feeling that he fell wrongly, now he could say it for sure. "Slag, dammit! Jazz! I'm hurt!" He informed through the commlink, while Flareup dragged him towards the barricade. However, the green mech was looking at the runaway.

« _Stay down! You're more useful alive, Crosshairs!_ » Jazz answered, gasping. It wasn't a surprise, since he was carrying Drift over his shoulders at the time.

"The son of a glitch is getting away!"

"Not for long. Override!" Firestar commed.

The Velocitronian femme transformed into her vehicle mode and zoomed after the 'Con; and, once she was on position, transformed again, jumping over the guy's head, only to land in front of him with her guns aiming at his chest. Growling, the bot of red optics rose his hands in defeat.

… … …

At the same time Pharma was running one way to the other, giving orders to the nurses, telling everyone where to put the wounded ones they already had, and the ones that were coming from the battle. It was then when Jazz entered, carrying an unconscious Drift over his shoulders. The medic of the blue protoform called for his apprentice, First Aid, and ordered him to take care of the knight; but the youngling was busy with some soldier that came from downtown.

An explosion made everyone duck and cover, while Pharma started to tremble. The memories of Delphi were coming back to his mind, cutting through all the barriers he put to keep them buried in the depths of his conscience. This battle was bringing back the worst side of him, like he was in a war again…

"Sir! You can't…!" Some nurse yelled, addressing an Autobot veteran who was literally running off his room.

Overcoming his fears, Pharma got on his feet and grabbed the patient by the shoulders.

"Sir, I'm going to ask you to go back to your bed, now." He said, pushing the grey mech towards the door he exited.

"Nonsense! I can help those kids!" The soldier struggled, ignoring the Energon that started to leak through the patches that were recently welded to his frame. "It sounds like a fragging war out there!" He kept saying, while wrestling with the medic.

"Nurse! Sedatives, now!" Pharma ordered to a nearby femme, while holding back the veteran.

"Ya not gonna keep me here, doc! Not after what those bastards did to me and Hound!" The old bot finally pushed the medic off the way; only to be caught by Jazz, who quickly cut his path.

But, before the lieutenant could say anything to stop him, a series of beastly roars deafened everyone on the area.

* * *

The Autobots were concentrating their fire on the Combiners' junctions, hoping to break them apart, but, despite that those areas didn't seem to be armored, they weren't capable of break their formation. And, to make it worst, Nightglider was starting to have trouble with the Seekers, especially after Starscream noticed that he was aiming for Skywarp; reason why, the air commander ordered Thundercracker to take him down, while he and the purple flyer engaged the 'Bots.

The constant harassment from those two was enough to force the Autobots to break their formation and scatter, just to prevent getting shot; thing that made them worry, considering that the fragging gestalts weren't yet on position, meaning that they had to call their attention longer. Ironhide was already considering how detrimental would it be for their plan to back off a few feet, seeing that the 'Cons were fighting with a vigor they didn't show in the war. Fortunately for the weapons specialist, not even the greatest pressures could make Ultra Magnus miss the small details, such as the way Skywarp tended to dive recklessly towards them whenever he prepared to shoot. It was a mistake that left him vulnerable to anyone with good aim; and, since they weren't supposed to reveal the relics yet, the commander decided to trust in the red bulky mech's firepower. And so, as soon as the Seekers positioned for another round, Ironhide warmed up his cannons…

Meanwhile, Nightglider gave his chaser a hard time by hiding among the stormy clouds, where Thundercracker lost him.

"Scrap!" Turning on his commlink, he called for his commander. "Sir, I lost him!"

"Looking for me?" A joyful voice said from above of him, right before something crashed on top of the cerulean airship.

… … …

From the distance, Shockwave saw how Daybreak's twin got himself in collision course towards Thundercracker, only to transform in the last possible instant, tackling the Seeker, and sending both of them towards the ground. When they hit, a huge cloud of dust arouse at the impact zone. Such a risky move… None of this plan was making sense to the scientist. Why were the Autobots putting themselves on the line so much? This plan was beyond suicidal; after all, they knew that his creations were immune to their weapons, and that the Seekers were nothing more but mere distractions whose job was to make them even more vulnerable to the Combiners' attacks.

The chief scientist was trying to decide whether his enemies were very brave, or incredibly stupid, when Skywarp was taken down by the Autobot weapons specialist, known as Ironhide.

"The Seekers are losing." Solar Flare commented, now transformed in her bipedal mode, with her arms crossed. She obviously wanted to fight.

"It's an irrelevant loss. They are expendable." Shockwave said, seeing how Starscream started to shoot towards Ironhide and the others, trying to push them away from his unconscious trine brother. It was a sad attempt to rescue the fallen Seeker.

But it would no matter. The three Combiners were finally steps away from Ultra Magnus and the others… However, he soon cocked his head when, taking a better look, he noticed something they missed to see sooner: there was an Autobot absent.

… … …

Bumblebee jumped out of the way when Starscream started to shoot at them, making room for him to land next to his fallen trine brother; but it was thanks to it that he noticed that the three monstrosities that Shockwave brought to life were now aiming at them. "Scrap…" He mentally cursed, when he saw that none of those things was in range for their strategy. He had to change that.

But, first, he had to make sure to dodge their attack.

All the Autobots jumped out of the way right on time, only to see that the Combiners' blasters made craters wherever they hit; and, since they missed, the three of them were furious now. And, for so, before the bots could fully recover from the blast, the gestalts attacked again, forcing their enemies to transform and drive as far as they could to get to safety. All but one…

To the Decepticons' surprise, Bumblebee stepped on the brakes and made a U-turn, reason why he was now running _towards_ the gestalts. The others saw this and stopped on their tracks, transforming, trying to make him go back with the team; but the yellow warrior wasn't listening to his friends at the moment. His mind was focused in only one thing: if they failed, then, who knows what these 'Cons would do to Earth _and_ Cybertron? No… He couldn't allow them to win.

"He's trying to take them back to the trap…" Arcee muttered, surprised for her friend's courage… And then is when an orange and golden muscle car went after the Camaro. "What the…?!"

"Roddy! What're you doing?!" Side Burn asked through the commlink.

« _Giving those freak shows one more target to follow!_ » The Elite Guard's answered, as he zoomed towards the battlefield.

Appreciating the help, the Camaro started to zigzag between the Combiners' legs, until he got the full attention of the one called Menasor, who turned around, following him and Hot Rod, who taunted the gestalt by briefly transforming to shoot at its face, before sped off again. Finally, the huge bot chased after the two warriors who made their stand, waiting for the right moment.

* * *

At base, the children were biting their fingernails as they saw Menasor's huge signal approaching the ones of Bumblebee and Hot Rod. Especially because nor Shockwave, nor Solar Flare had moved ever since the battle started, as if they were suspecting something; which could mean that their plan wouldn't work…

But there wasn't time to give their strategy any second thoughts. All they had was plan A, so it _had_ to work. They would _make it_ work, one way or another. And so, following their only plan, Ratchet waited until the gestalt was in position, and…

"Smokescreen, move now!" He ordered.

* * *

Bumblebee and Hot Rod were facing a ginormous blaster, while uselessly shooting at Menasor, when something sprinted out of the wall of stone that was next to the Combiner. "About time, Smokey!" Both warriors thought, when the electric blue Viper exited its hiding, quickly transforming into the Elite Guard who phased through the bot's body. Seconds later, he came out through the other side, dragging the regulator with him. Finally, he gracefully landed on his feet, next to the damaged device.

From afar, both, Shockwave and Starscream, couldn't believe it: the Autobots retrieved the Phase Shifter! It had to be Knock Out's doing… That bastard saw the project data from up close, so he must've come with the plan to stop them. And the worst part was that they had no way to know if that was the _only_ relic they brought back from Cybertron.

"Solar Flare, destroy the Phase Shifter, and kill the Autobot." The chief scientist ordered to his assistance, who immediately transformed and stormed towards her preys. Meanwhile, the one-eyed Decepticon saw how his creation fell apart, since the Stunticons started to run out of Energon in nanokliks.

Smiling in content, the three warriors transformed and drove back to their team; however, Hot Rod suddenly stopped, recognizing one of the 'Cons who broke formation. He has seen him before! It was one of Iacon's Clinic's medics! He couldn't remember his name, but he was sure that he wasn't a Stunticon! Making a U-turn, the orange and golden car decided to rescue the poor bot, only to almost get rolled over by a Velocitronian champagne colored vehicle, who bypassed him. Transforming, Hot Rod noticed that this person was after Smokescreen.

"Scrap… Smoke! You have a tail!" He informed through the commlink.

Bumblebee watched their rears with his mirrors, realizing who it was; so, groaning, he told the blue vehicle to keep going, while he entertained the femme. Then, he transformed into his bipedal form, facing the incoming car.

« _May I be curious and wonder: what do you think you're doing?!_ » Knock Out's voice appeared through his commlink.

"They already know we have the relics, meaning that I can use mine." Bumblebee said, pulling the polarity gauntlet forward, and using it to push away the Velocitronian femme.

Solar Flare managed to transform and fall on her feet.

"Didn't you have enough at the desert, Autobot?" She snarled.

"The only reason you got away was because of your partner. You're not such a great warrior on your own." He taunted her.

« _Huh… Do you want to get terminated?_ » Knock Out wondered through the commlink.

Ignoring the medic, Bumblebee engaged the femme in battle, keeping her away from Smokescreen and the Phase Shifter, who were getting away, as the Elite Guard drove towards the next Combiner.

However, there was a little matter that was keeping him away from his target: how was he supposed to get all the way up _there_?!

"'Glider! I could use a lift over here!" The blue car told his partner.

* * *

Powerglide and Fireflight were helping their superior, Silverbolt with some flyers that were headed towards the Council's tower, when a loud roar startled them three. Fortunately, it had the same effect on the 'Cons they were fighting; so, as soon as they came back to reality, the three Aerialbots managed to take down their opponents by shooting their thrusters. Once they hit the ground, the Council's guards took care of them.

"I wasn't the _only_ one who heard that, right?" Powerglide wondered out loud.

"Glad to know that I didn't imagined it." Fireflight commented with a relieved sigh, noticing how oddly silent Silverbolt was. "Uh… Sir? Is everything ok?"

He was older than this two, and he had memories of battles that would've made his companions run for the hills. He has witnessed some savage things; and, that roar, brought him remembrances of a long lost team that took an undercover mission that went wrong. _Utterly_ wrong. Those guys disappeared for many quartex, and, when they managed to return, they weren't the same. They were wilder, beastlier; those men started to fight in ways that only the Decepticons has used until that point. They were in rage… And, when he had the chance to see them transform, he realized why.

"We have to regroup." Silverbolt mumbled, while turning around to go back to the clinic, back to the main team. "Come on, Aerialbots! We must return!"

Not really understanding, his companions hurried after him.

If they were here… If they were back, Jazz was going to need all the help he could find to keep them in check…

* * *

Nightglider was wrestling with Thundercracker, who was amazingly pissed for have been taken down by the black jet; right when Smokescreen called, asking for help to reach the next Combiner's regulator. "Bad timing, dude! Very bad!" The flyer thought while pushing the cerulean mech out of his way to transform. But, as soon as he jumped in the air to fly away, a well-aimed shot hurt one of his wings, sending him back to the ground, where the Seeker pinned him.

Kicking him off, the black 'Bot hurried to take cover behind a boulder.

"Guys! I'm hurt, grounded, _and_ cornered! I need help with 'Cracker!" He informed through the commlink.

« _We can't reach your position! Skywarp came to, and the gestalts are not exactly happy for losing their friend!_ » Wheeljack answered, shooting noises filling the back of the call.

« _I'm have my hands full too!_ » Hot Rod reported, as he dodged the Stunticons shots, trying to reach for the medic.

« _Same here!_ » That was Bumblebee.

« _It seems I'm free. I can try to reach your position._ » Smokescreen said, calmer than the others.

« _No!_ » That was Ratchet's voice. « _Smokescreen possesses the_ only _weapon that has proven effective against the Combiners! We can't risk ourselves to lose it!_ » He said.

Right at that moment, Thundercracker destroyed Nightglider's cover with a missile, sending the black bot flying several feet. With no other choice, the Autobot turned to fight, deploying his blasters and opening fire against the Seeker, who dodged the attack almost effortlessly. When he prepared to answer, the black jet hurried to hide behind a large stone. He needed to come up with something to get rid of that guy, and he needed to do it fast. The Elite Guard needed to get his hands on the next gestalt _ASAP_.

« _I might have something for you._ » Knock Out suddenly appeared through the commlink.

"Listening!" Nightglider said, while leaning out of his hiding to shoot.

« _When I was at their base I noticed that Thundercracker was acting differently from his companions. I think he doesn't want to fight this fight._ » The surgeon said.

Another missile exploded really close to Nightglider's face.

"Well, I can tell ya' he's not giving me that impression…" He tried to joke, while answering the fire.

« _Well, of course! His trine is there!_ » The Velocitronian pointed, and the flyer could swear that he rolled his eyes at the comment. « _Energon Seekers are trained in groups of three! Their trines are the closest thing to a family; so, of course that he would follow Star-Cream and Sky-Jerk to battle, even if he doesn't want to!_ » The red mech explained, exasperation on his voice. « _But the doubts_ are _there! It's his weakness!_ »

Nightglider went back to cover, not truly understanding his friend's words; or, better said, seeing where this conversation was going, but doubting the medic actually advised him to do such thing.

"You want me to _talk him out of it_?! I could not even convince _you_ to stay away from the 'Cons!"

… … …

At the base, Knock Out grunted, pinching the platting between his optics. It was true… The flyer didn't know how to be persuasive. Time to pass to plan B. If no Autobot was going to talk down the Seeker, then a Decepticon would have to. Without asking for permission, the red medic disenabled the communication firewalls, in order to allow enemy's communication channels to send and receive signals.

Ratchet, alarmed by it, quickly grabbed his hand, trying to stop him, saying that he was risking the base's location.

"All the 'Cons are at the battlefield, nobody is available to track us down, and Nightglider needs my help. He might not know how to be persuasive, but I do." The Velocitronian stated, breaking free from the other medic's grip. Then, he activade his commlink… on the same frequency he did when he worked for the other team.

* * *

Chromia, who was shooting at Devastator's legs' junctions, felt something heavy suddenly pushing her off her feet; and, when she was able to open her optics, the cerulean femme noticed that she was on the ground, while her bondmate, Ironhide, was on top of her. A huge crater marked the place where she was standing nanoseconds ago.

"Thanks." She said, to the weapons specialist.

"Don't thank me yet, sweetspark. Our afts are still on the line." He retorted, while helping her up.

Yeah, the situation didn't seem to improve… They managed to break apart one Combiner, but the other two had them pinned between them and the mines they hid not too far ahead; and, if she had to guess, those bombs wouldn't slow them down for long either. Sighing, the warrior femme grabbed pulled out her blaster once more, though she didn't see how to get out of this one…

But… She did see an opening!

Realizing that Hot Rod was in need of urgent help, and that the Stunticons were already charging towards them, Chromia smirked at the chance. And, so, according to Ultra Magnus's plan, she quickly focused on another target: the Seekers, who quickly took off. It took some weigh off the Triplets who were now free to go.

"Now's your chance! Roll out!" She ordered, pointing at the Stunticons who were starting to bypass Hot Rod, who was helplessly pinned against the ground by Motormaster.

Nodding, seeing the opening, the three brothers transformed and sped up towards the Decepticon unit, passing by both, Smokescreen and Bumblebee.

"Hey, remember that thing we used to do in our first fights? The maneuver that all our superior officers hated?" Side Burn implied, while looking at the tall black mech who was wrestling with his comrade Elite Guard.

"Now ya're talking, Side!" X-Brawn cheered, lining up with his youngest brother; seeing Prowl do the same. "Ready, Prowl?"

"We haven't done this in _eons_. I'll never be readier than now…" The law enforcer retorted.

… … …

Motormaster told his team to go and kill the Elite Guard who did this to them, while he took care of the orange colored one. Honestly, considering how well-trained these guys were, he expected a longer fight, but… Well. Seems that he stumbled upon the rookie, as Hot Rod soon found himself being crushed by the black mech's foot; meanwhile, the others were charging towards his friend. In a desperate move, the Autobot shoot at the leader Stunticon's face, but the result was the same of when he shot at his body: zero damage.

And the Energon sword that the 'Con dragged out of his sub-space seemed really, really sharp…

However, as Motormaster prepared to finish off his opponent, a blue vehicle impacted right onto his midsection. The strength of the hit multiplied several times thanks to the speed of the car, and the total force was enough to make the towering mech stumble a couple steps back, freeing the Elite Guard, who quickly got out of the danger zone. And right on time, since, moments after Side Burn's crash, Prowl swept the 'Con off his feet with a precision hit to the pedes. And, then, as Motormaster found himself falling to the ground, X-Brawn appeared; transforming in a swift move, the green Triplet activated his shields, impacting the Decepticon's face will full strength.

And the black mech was left unconscious.

"Alright! The 'Triple Strike'!" Side Burn celebrated, excitedly. "It never fails!" He kept going; thing that earned him a smack on the back of the head from the middle triplet. "Hey! What was that for?!" He asked, massaging the area.

"The job is not over! So get your head off the clouds, and start chasing the other Stunticons!" The law enforcer ordered, masked, and with his blaster deployed already. Then, he turned to look at Hot Rod. "You take that medic out of here! X-Brawn, Side Burn, let's go!"

"Ya' just sounded like Sentinel Prime's reincarnation or something…" The oldest triplet mocked his brother, while readying his weapons for battle; however, as he saw the orange and golden mech reaching out for the unconscious medic, X-Brawn noticed something growing closer in the distance. "Oh, scrap. And now _that_ guy…"

* * *

Jazz outed the clinic, only to find a barrier of fire, and the 'Cons screaming as they couldn't find a way out. The Autobots, on the other hand, seemed to be alright; in fact, there were three strange Cybertronians helping his men to get to a safe distance from that inferno. In a state of complete and utter confusion, the lieutenant ran up to Firestar to ask what was going on to the femme; but was quickly intercepted by the tallest of these strange characters of yellow eyes.

It was then when he saw the insignias they were bearing, and he couldn't believe his optics.

"The Predacons?" He questioned out loud, as if trying to believe it himself. "What're you doing in Iacon?"

"Ultra Magnus came to us, saying that you needed help." Predaking answered. Then, he glanced at the Decepticons who were trapped by the fire they caused. "We never imagined that your situation was so desperate." He admitted.

"So… you're the backup the commander promised me?" The short white mech wondered, cocking his head and arching an eyebrow below his visor.

"Not only us." Darksteel muttered, from behind his leader.

Before being able to ask what he meant by that, Jazz's commlink pinged. It was Galatea, saying that she could see something approaching in the horizon, but that she wasn't sure whether it was a friend or a foe; only that the newcomers didn't look like Cybertronians at all. In fact, she said that they resembled the Predacons more than the Autobots or the Decepticons.

Kind of suspecting what it meant, the lieutenant ran inside the clinic, and took the staircase towards the roof, where he found the light grey femme gazing upon the battlefield with her magenta visor, which enhanced her vision. Jazz ignored her surprise and walked up to the roof's brim, from where he saw the five shadows that were racing towards them.

"Son of a glitch…" The mech cursed under his breath. "That bastard knew where they were all along!"

… … …

Some Decepticons were starting to retreat, trying to find some way to dodge the fire barrier that those beasts created at their arrival, but, as soon as they turned around, they saw that the Predacons were the last of their troubles.

Five new warriors of silver grey, golden armor and red optics were right at the city's entrance. The major part of the 'Cons that were trapped in there knew who they were, and couldn't help but start trembling in fear; because, while the Autobots fought to take prisoners, these guys fought as Decepticons… _No prisoners_. Knowing that fight could mean termination, many surrendered and threw their weapons away; the ones who didn't taunted the newcomers.

"C'mon, _beasts_! You want some of this!" One of the dumbest soldiers shouted at them, while throwing some piece of rubble that hit the team's leader on the middle of the chest, before fall to the ground.

The mech of the red visor and golden mask looked at the rock, before concentrate his attention into the guy that threw it. Growling under his breath, the warrior drew an Energon sword from his subspace.

"That one is mine." He warned his team with his hoarse voice. "Dinobots, _chew their heads off_!" He ordered, at the same time that all of them charged into the battle.

* * *

Hot Rod grabbed the unconscious figure of Ambulon, while asking for an emergency ground-bridge, claiming that there was a civilian Cybertronian wounded. In a split second a green vortex opened right next to him, and Ratchet appeared to deliver the poor mech to safety; however, he couldn't hide his surprise when he saw the stranger's face… It was no stranger to him.

"By the AllSpark! What…?! Why is he here?!" The medic asked to the Elite Guard.

"He was Menasor's right leg, I think. Why? You know him?" The young warrior asked, confused.

"Yes… We met under terrible circumstances…" The old mech admitted, remembering the one night he spent at Delphi's medical outpost, patching both, warriors and civilians, next to his friend Pharma.

He could yet hear the blasts from the explosives in the bottom of his processor, and see the tired face of his friend, as both of them were running on fumes, having been unable to refuel in days. And, then, the door opened, and a 'Con appeared dragging himself through the floor, begging for help; he was about to suffer a massive malfunction that would've turned him off for good. Instinctively, Ratchet ran to his side and started to attend him, while Pharma preferred to ignore the newcomer, disregarding him for being a Decepticon; but the orange and white mech couldn't just leave an agonizing bot lying on the floor like a piece of scrap. So, without any help, he dragged the patient to the nearest stretcher, and managed to save his life by making him a transfusion.

A couple joors later, the 'Con regained consciousness, but was yet too weak to explain what happened. All he said was that his name was Ambulon, and that he escaped to join the Autobots. Cycles later, Pharma would commed him to inform that he took the guy under his wing, as an apprentice. Apparently, he had talent to be a good medic, and was completely satisfy with serving the Autobot cause… though his attitude was yet a little troublesome.

After Delphi was taken down and the personal evacuated, Ratchet never saw his old friends again, nor heard of them. This was the first time he saw Ambulon in eons.

"He escaped the Decepticon army because of _Project Combiner_... How comes he was part of it now?" Ratchet mumbled for himself.

Hot Rod looked at the medic, arching an eyebrow. It was as if this old mech just saw a ghost; and, what did he just say about this guy and the _Project Combiner_?

But he didn't have time to ask, as he saw Shockwave zooming towards them.

Grunting, the orange and golden mech deployed his blasters.

"Quickly, doctor, evacuate the place!" He ordered, opening fire at the chief scientist's figure.

Snapping out of it, the old medic grabbed a hold onto his unconscious comrade's body and dragged him through the ground-bridge, which closed once he passed through. Meanwhile, Hot Rod opened fire against the tank that was speeding towards him, with no signs of even attempt to slow down any time soon. "Scrap!" The Elite Guard Thought, while jumping out of the way, to prevent being car crashed. Unfortunately, by doing so, he allowed Shockwave to have a perfect view of his target: Bumblebee.

* * *

Thundercracker had Nightglider pinned below his weight, unable to fight back. It was time to finish the bot, just like he did innumerous times before, and yet… It didn't feel right. Why? Why was he doubting now?

In the background, all he could hear were the cries of the warriors, and the thundering noises of the blasters. It was just another battle, like the billion battles he already fought, both, before and during the war. This was just one more fight. He couldn't fail his trine… He couldn't abandon his brothers…

« _Thundercracker!_ » Knock Out's voice barked through his commlink, making the Seeker stumble back, a little startled. How did this guy get his communication channel's frequency?! « _I know you can hear me, so say something!_ »

"How did you…?!" was the first thing that came out of his mouth, but his question was abruptly interrupted.

« _It doesn't matter! Listen…!_ »

"If you're trying to distract me to save your friend, then you're wasting your breath, traitor!" The cerulean Seeker snarled, while tightening his hold onto the black mech's throat.

« _I'm not trying to save his aft, but rather yours, slagging idiot!_ » Knock Out yelled through the commlink in a desperate move, knowing that try to appeal to a Decepticon's kindness was both useless and stupid. Besides, considering the silence on the commlink, the surgeon guessed that he got the flyer's attention.

And it was true: Thundercracker was paralyzed, with a hand around Nightglider's throat and the other one transformed into a blaster, aimed to the Autobot's head; but the Seeker's mind was in a paradox that he couldn't overcome. He _had_ to do it, because he had to protect his trine, and not obey Starscream command would mean to betray his brothers; but, on the other hand, he _didn't_ want to do it, because he couldn't see _why_ he should do it. The war was over, and all this plan would do nothing but start a new one; and he didn't want to see Cybertron ravaged again…

« _We both know you're here for Screamer, not for you. But you owe nothing to him; you can look for yourself, put down the weapon, and surrender. You'll be treated fairly… more than the other two morons…_ » The Velocitronian kept saying through the commlink.

"I don't surrender to anybody!" Thundercracker roared, while strengthening his hold onto the black jet's throat.

"Bad call, K-Out! Really bad!" The flyer chocked, desperately trying to shake off the 'Con from on top of him.

« _Fine! Don't surrender to us! Just transform and get your aft out of there! You're already a fugitive from justice anyway! But, use your processor: do you honestly want to add the death of an innocent veteran of war to the list of crimes of which you're accused already?_ » The medic tried to reason, while, in the background of the call, the whirling noise of a ground-bridge could be heard. A green gleam appeared and disappeared on the distance. The 'Bots just evacuated someone.

Thundercracker's vents became erratic, next to his pulse and his hold onto his prey.

"But… my trine…"

« _They aren't the mechs you remember anymore. Or are they?_ » The surgeon got a point. These people… they weren't his brothers. He already noticed. But… Maybe, in the bottom… « _Please, don't make a fool of yourself, and walk away now that you still can; though, it doesn't mean the 'Bots are not going to chase you, after all, you_ are _a fugitive._ »

… … …

Starscream was keeping Arcee from helping Chromia, Ironhide, and Ultra Magnus, who were being used as target practice by Bruticus, Devastator and Skywarp, when the sound of a propellant called his attention, and a very familiar aircraft of cerulean coloration took off from a wall of stone, only to disappear into the horizon. It made the air commander's spark froze. Was Thundercracker abandoning them? No! It couldn't be! They were a trine! Brothers! He couldn't just fly away from them just like that! Trying to find a probable reason for his brother and friend to do such dishonorable thing, he called him… Only to realize that he blocked all possible incoming communications through the commlink.

And that's when realization hit him: Thundercracker not only abandoned them… He betrayed them. In rage, he shot the two-wheeler on the middle of the chest, and took off, right on time, before the cerulean femme ―who saw the whole thing― appeared wielding her axe, ready to chop his head off.

From up high, Starscream saw Shockwave shooting Bumblebee, who was too concentrated in keeping Solar Flare away from Smokescreen to notice that the chief scientist joined the battle. Because of the impact, the yellow bot dropped the Polarity Guantlet, which turned off, freeing the Velocitronian femme, who started to run towards her true target. Also, he could see that Shockwave had full intention of engaging Bumblebee, while Hot Rod was running towards the cyclops. The Stunticons were too busy with the Triplets.

Growling, the Seeker decided to take care of the orange and golden Elite Guard. He wouldn't reach Thundercracker on time anyway… But there was someone who could.

"Skywarp, Thundercracker just betrayed us! Take him down!" He ordered, while opening fire against Hot Rod, who answered the attack.

… … …

A little dumbfounded by such order, the purple Seeker transformed and warped until he was right in front of his former trine brother. The cerulean flyer came to full stop at the sight of the portal right in front of him; but quickly bended to the side, when a pair of blaster shots came out of it, before Skywarp appeared. "Please, Warp… I don't want to fight you…" He mentally pleaded while dodging everything his friend threw at him. But, when a lucky shot got him on the wing, Thundercracker knew that there was no other choice. Apologizing with his brother, he turned around and opened fire…

In no time, Skywarp fell off the sky.

Thundercracker was lost in the distance.

The bond between the Seekers' trine was broken forever.

Yet, the victory was far too distant in the eyes of the Autobots…

* * *

 **Well, this is what I have, so far...**

 **I'll be back as soon as I write the rest. Thanks for your patience.**

 **Also, I thought that I should warn you, about the one-shots I mentioned before: they're funny stories that came to my mind whenever the drama in this fic became just too overwhelming for me, and needed a break. Just saying.**

 **Please, don't forget to tell me what you think of this!**

 **See ya!**


	39. THIRTY SEVEN: Till All Are One part 2

**Hello, guys! First of all: sorry for my sudden act of disappearance! It took me longer than I thought...**

 **Second: I'm happy to announce that... I finally ended this chapter. I never spent so much time in my life trying to finish a fanfic's chapter, and I cerntainly hope not to have to struggle like this with a story ever again. But I know that it eventually will happen once again sometime in the future, so... *shrugs***

 **Arcee:**

 **I'm so sorry I didn't see your comment last time! There were so many comments that I accidentally skipped yours! Sorry... I'm happy you liked the scene where Knock Out is surrounded by sparklings! *The surgeon grunts in the background* He didn't enjoyed it that much. Also, thank you for saying that you also like the drama and the battle scenes, especially because I hate to write fights... I always feel that I'm not doing it properly.**

 **Sunscorch: *sitting next to the author* Hey, girl! Thanks for your words! Ya' have my respect too! :D**

 **She has been smiling since the moment she read the comment. She respects you too for being the only femme in the Autobots' base; and, because you were able to put up with Wheeljack...**

 **Sunscorch: As me, he's not the easiest Wrecker to work with...**

 **Coira94:**

 **Yes, well... I don't really like Starscream, but I do came to like Thundercracker, so, the cerulean Seeker will be fine. The other two... not so much.**

 **Bumblebee:**

 **Thanks for the advices, I did. Now I feel refreshed! And, guess what? Another long chapter's up! Haha!**

 **And, don't worry about the inspirational phrases. You'll get better with them. It's just a matter of practice (Optimus has been in the business longer than you after all...)**

 **And, by the way, I threw the candies' box to the fire. You're right, Megatron using emoticons isn't normal... But! *takes out a plate with Energon cookies* This ones were made by Galatea, so here you go! ^^ *Sunscorch grabs one* Hey! Those were in replacement for the candies! And you already ate too many...  
**

 **Sunscorch: *munching* Your point?**

 **Megatron:**

 **I know what you're talking about. I usually find stories about you and Starscream or... Optimus...**

 **I... I just can't see how would that come to happen, like... just no. So don't worry. I would most likely never use you as main character, but I will never write slash either.**

 **Knock Out:**

 **Huh... *looks at Sunscorch, who's growling* Um... Couple therapy?**

 **Sunscorch: Nah, we don't need it. I mean, I know** ** _other_** **ways to make him pay the comment...**

 **Finish?**

 **Sunscorch: *evil smile* What finish?**

 **Maybe I shouldn't have give you a girlfriend who was also a Wrecker... Oh, well. Too late now, she's already here.**

 **Sympathy Effect:**

 **You were faster than me in reapear! Haha! I'm fine, thank you!**

 **Don't worry, Sunscorch didn't force me into anything (though she did kept an eye on me whenever I passed near the computer). I'm glad you liked her because, while Millie was the first OC I created for this story, she was the second! I had this idea about a femme Wrecker, someone who could be either a little bit clumsy or reckless, but also very brave and protective to those she cared about.**

 **Sunscorch: Awww! *Hugs the author***

 **Can't... breathe...!**

 **Sunscorch: *Letting go* Oops! Sorry! *Smiling* Millie has talked to me a lot about you, Sympathy! Big hug to you too!**

 **About Drift, Wing, and Atlas... Sorry! It's just that when I found its comic, I really came to like the character, so I decided to include him in the story. Honestly, I liked IDW Deadlock/Drift better than the one from** ** _Transformers Age of Extinction_** **, who started to recite haikus... just because he looked like a samurai...  
**

 **Quick resume: Drift used to be a Decepticon soldier called Deadlock; he betrays his commander Turmoil, and defects the faction, gets stranded in a desertic planet where he's found by a Neutral called Wing (who looks exactly like him, but in pure white...). He takes Drift to a Neutral colony that built New Crystal City, where Dai Atlas, a knight, is the chief. Eventually, Lockdown is sent to kill Drift for his betrayal, plus a race of slaves traders that had been having trouble with Wing (who usually frees their merchandise). Drift fights for the knights' welfare, Wing gets killed, Lockdown leaves without finishing his mission for some reason, and Dai Atlas names Drift a knight. From then on he lives up to what Wing taught him, becoming a Neutral, and, eventually, an Autobot. However, the part in which I say that he turned in Turmoil is an invention of mine... XD**

 **About Nightglider, don't worry, he came to forgive me for the lame origin of his name... after I made him play the game and he came to understand that I took the name out of it because I really enjoyed** ** _Arkham Asylum_** **.**

 **And, yes... Now I undertand your point about bad stories. I thought you meant fics in which Marie Sue falls in love with Gary Stue, some drama happens in between, and everything ends with a happy ending. But, yeah, I also think that the stories with male pregnancy are way too crazy (as someone in a forum I participated many years ago: "For Pete's sake, men don't get pregnant!" XD).**

 **About "many opinions" I meant that you liked to tell me everything you thought about the story, but it wasn't a bad thing, because I liked to answer! Though we did found out that we had different opinions about some matters, but it's alright; after all, we're two different human beings, so it's normal to think differently. Huh... I hope that whatever ideas I gave you are good! XD**

 **Hahaha! You figured, huh? Well, he's one of my favs after all! I just couldn't end a Transformers' story without him!**

 **Yep, Knock Out was finally able to overcome his own pride! *An angelic chorus appears in the background singing a Hallelujah***

 **And also, yes: Ratchet does care about Ironhide. They were friends long before the war started, so, of course he missed him!**

 **About Dinobots vs. Predacons: the Dinobots were a team of Autobots who didn't think very highly of Optimus; thoughts that became even worse when some of them were captured by the Decepticons during a spionage mission. The others went to the rescue, and all of them ended up being captured. Shockwave, then, used them as experimental subjects; he was trying to create beasts without conscious, which would kill the Autobots without even blink. For some weird reason, the cyclops had samples from our dinosaurs and tried to recreate them on the 'Bots he was holding prisoners. Appartently Grimlock and his team went throug a lot of surgical procedures that ended up pushing them to the edge of madness, until Shockwave finally suceeded: he took away the original alt-modes from the 'Bots, replacing them with beast modes. Fortunately the Dinobots managed to escape, but the rest of the Autobots didn't exactly liked them, especially because of their lust for violence. They weren't considered Autobots anymore, so they became an apart group.**

 **I took the idea of bringing them back from a comic (** ** _Transformers Prime: Rage of the Dinobots_** **) in which them and Ultra Magnus are captured by Shockwave, who plans to finish the experiment and erase Grimlock's conscience completely. Of course they work together to escape, and the commander leaves the planet, while the Dinobots decides to stay behind, on Cybertron.**

 **The Predacons, on the other hand were cloned from Cybertronian fossiles. They** ** _are_** **beasts, reason why nobody expected them to have a conscious.**

 **...**

 **With nothing else to say for now, let's keep going!**

 **Warning: English isn't my mother language, so there might be some grammar mistakes in here.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own _Transformers_ franchise, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **THIRTY SEVEN: Till All Are One part 2**

The fire extinguished on the streets of Iacon, and the 'Cons were, again, running towards the buildings. However, the Autobots couldn't help but gasp in surprise at the sight of the five warriors who were exterminating the few runaways that were still trying to fight them; the others, the ones who were now heading towards the city, were simply running for their lives… It was their chance to finish the battle for once and for all. And, for so, Jazz and Firestar gave the battle cry, which was quickly answered by the Predacons who, transforming, roared to the night.

In seconds, every Autobot who could still walk, charged against the Decepticons; meanwhile, the Predacons took off, and, with some help from the Dinobot Swoop ―who turned out to be a flyer―, started to take down every 'Con who tried to get away from air. In fact, the pterodactyl seemed to be enjoying himself, while grabbing the flyers by their wings or propellants, right before throw them into the near buildings.

It was then when he got shot from behind.

"Swoop!" One of the other Dinobots screamed, worried, when he saw his friend falling due to a wounded wing junction. Then, he quickly locked his gaze onto the responsible of the attack, and, growling, transformed into a brachiosaurus. "Come here!" He barked, right before quickly grab the 'Con with his jaw, only to start pulling him towards the ground.

Skylynx and Darksteel saw this, and couldn't help but to stop in midair and exchange a quizzical look. And the Autobots dared to call _them_ beasts?! These guys _could_ talk in their alt-modes, and yet grabbed their enemies as hungry turbo-foxes! Even Predaking was a little dumbfounded by this particular group, starting with the fact that their optics were red. What Autobot proud of himself had red eyes? Then, their tactics: they weren't trying to recapture the runaway prisoners, they were _hunting them down_. And not in the politically acceptable way of the 'Bots, but in the wild and savage way of the Decepticons. Something was fishy around these so called Dinobots…

But he didn't have time to think about it at that particular time, so he ordered his brethren to make a round, and to bring back those who made it to the city; meanwhile, he would make sure that nobody leaves the party. That said, the three Predacons split up, and the largest of them landed at Iacon's entrance, cutting the way of many 'Cons who were trying to run away for good.

As soon as the gleam of a blaster shone in front of his eyes, the dragon-like Cybertronian rose his head, and, after the golden flash of light that appeared on his sigil, he covered his opponents with a cloak of fire that forced them to retrieve.

… … …

As Sludge pulled from his wings, the 'Con could see the other two Dinobots already waiting for him with their weapons in hand; meanwhile, the leader of the group was opening his way towards his fallen buddy, who seemed to be fine, though grounded.

"Ya'll live, just keep shooting at every fragging 'Con that comes at you." Grimlock said, while helping Swoop onto his feet.

"Sure thing." Then, the younger mech looked at their other three friends. "Um… Shouldn't we stop them?" He asked, cocking his head.

The leader looked at the scene and chuckled when he saw the lubricant leaking out of the flyer's frame.

"Nah. Let them have a little fun. Ya know how much Slag has been missing this."

That said, the two of them charged back into the battle; Swoop started to help the femmes with a small contingent, while Grimlock ran up to Jazz's side, who was dealing with a 'Con twice his size. "It sucks to be short, man!" The lieutenant mentally cursed, while jumping to the side, before deliver a good kick to his attacker's head. Unfortunately, he missed to see a second 'Con that was about to shoot him from behind… until someone else took care of him.

A little startled by the sudden appear, the white mech sighed in relief when he recognized the bulky figure of Grimlock. However, he wasn't happy with the fact that the Dinobot was trying to terminate the Decepticon… And, also, he wasn't really happy of seeing how little respect his team was showing for the residential buildings around them; especially when he turned around and saw Snarl and Slag pushing a guy right through a wall…

"Thanks for the help, but, could you please try not to destroy everything around you?!" The short mech asked.

Grimlock, still holding his victim, simply looked down at him, before something behind the lieutenant's back called his attention for a moment. Then his visor was, again, on Jazz's figure.

"Duck." He said, dryly, while throwing away his prey to grab his sword.

Understanding, the white mech kissed the ground, right on time to dodge a big piece of rubble that was thrown at his head ―piece that was cut in half at midair by Grimlock. Looking up, Jazz turned around to see who attacked him, finding a huge bot of violet armor looking at them. Though somehow suspecting that his firepower was not even nearly enough to outmuscle that guy, the lieutenant pulled out his blaster, only to see his companion walk past him, towards the 'Con.

"What're you doing?" He asked, getting up.

The 'Con tried to shoot down the Dinobot, who simply stepped aside.

"How would you like your 'Con, Jazz? Well-done, or crispy?" The silver grey and golden mech asked, before his T-cog went active, transforming him into a T-Rex.

"Oh, boy… He's really going to do it…" The lieutenant muttered at the sight, right before Grimlock opened his muzzle, and spat fire all over the violet mech, who, coughing, tried to get away, before collapse on the ground, suffering an overheat. "I always forget you can do that, Grim." No answer. "Grimlock?" The white mech looked at the dinosaur with an arched eyebrow. "Grim, are you al-…? ARGH!" As soon as he touched the beast's leg, the poor Autobot was kicked off, only to be later tackled by the soldier, who was literally trying to bite his head off. "Hey, man! What Scraplet bit you?! It's me! Jazz! You know me, you, moron! C'mon!"

From the distance, the other four Dinobots saw the whole scene, and, knowing what was going on, hurried to try to peel their leader from the poor white mech, who was kliks away from becoming T-Rex's food. In no time, three of them were restraining the silver and golden beast, while the fourth yanked Jazz out of the danger zone; and right on time, since a second after this action, a storm of fire hit the place where the poor lieutenant was standing.

"W-what's got into him?!" Jazz asked, still a little shocked of almost getting eaten.

"It's not his fault! When in beast-mode, he sometimes… loses it!" Snarl, the one who pulled him out of danger explained.

Meanwhile, the other three bots were using all their might to try to keep their leader put.

"Please, Grim! Don't do this again! Not in front of everyone!" Sludge was saying, while holding the beast by the neck.

"Pull yourself together, man! Remember what you always said about this: we aren't mere beasts! Snap out of it!" Slag tried to reason with the T-Rex… before being whipped by the Dinobot's tail. The short-tempered soldier stumbled several feet back, before falling onto his aft. "You're _really_ asking me to tackle you in beast-form right now…"

Alarmed by the possibility of Grimlock starting to rampage around the city, Firestar ordered her femmes to take out their weapons. If he happened to break free, and to destroy everything around him, then she would stop him… for good. What she didn't count on, was with the comradery and brotherhood bonds that the Dinobot team created among their integrands, reason why, as soon as they saw them aiming at their leader, Snarl and Slag transformed and cut their way, roaring in a threatening way.

It rang all the alarms, and soon, everyone was starting to see the Dinobots as a threat to stop. If he didn't do something soon, then a second battle would explode among the Autobots' ranks; so, trying to prevent it, Jazz jumped into his feet, and, while ordering everyone to stand down, stepped between the two silver and golden dinosaurs and the femmes. Then, reminding them that they were all playing for the same team, the white mech suggested that it was for everyone's best to try to calm down Grimlock, before he put him and innocent people in danger… And speaking about it, some 'Cons used this sudden outburst from the Dinobot to run away; meaning that they had to split up in teams.

"Alright, Firestar, you and your femmes track down the ones who made it into the city; Blurr, you, Blades and Whirl pick up the ones left unconscious, and take them to the clinic. Tell the medics to induce stasis, that way we'll keep them here, 'til we can toss their sad afts back into jail. Team Train, Predaking flew after the ones who were trying to abandon Iacon; go and offer support to him. The rest of us will try to contain Grimlock until he comes to his senses. Go!" Jazz ordered to the group, which promptly dispersed to do as told.

But this fight took too long, and, before he could go back to the T-Rex's side, the Dinobot leader broke free, and was ready to start attacking everything that moved. Jazz knew that he wouldn't be able to defeat the beast, and he was aware that the silver and golden mech's team wouldn't dare to hurt him; so he wasn't sure of what to do… Until the Aerialbots reappeared in the sky, opening an air strike against the furious beast who breathed fire towards them trying to shoo the flyers away. And _that_ 's when Jazz had a good idea of whom could kick some sense into Grimlock's processor…

"Silverbolt! Go to the city's entrance! Bring Predaking, now!" He ordered through the commlink, and the jet left the scene, after telling his friends what to do to keep the bot busy.

Slag stomped onto the white mech.

"You want that beast to kill him?!" He roared, pissed, believing that this particular Autobot was no better than the others who pushed them aside after that accursed mission.

"No! I want the Predacon to restrain him until he comes back to his senses!" Jazz yelled back at the dinosaur, whose eyes widened with surprise and understanding. Yes, he knew that the Autobots treated them like freaks eons ago; but he wasn't like those people! He wanted to help their friend!

Realizing this, Slag let go from the lieutenant, and transformed to help him stand up.

"Now…" Jazz started, letting go from the other mech. "What did your friend mean when he said that Grimlock 'loses it' when in beast-mode?"

* * *

Smokescreen saw the slender and shiny form of Solar Flare speeding towards him, and he did not even doubted it: activating the Phase Shifter, in case she reached him, the Elite Guard opened fire towards the Velocitronian femme, who had no trouble in dodge every one of his shots. "Slagging enhanced speed!" He cursed, while stepping to the side, when she charged against him, swords first. However, since one of her blades phased right through the mech's shoulder without hurting him, the femme realized that he activated the relic.

"Clever." She conceded, putting away her swords and deploying her blasters.

The blue bot chuckled.

"Sorry. Plasma bullets phases through too, you know?" He said, remembering that that was how he tricked two units of Vehicons into shooting at each other.

"Oh… But, I'm not aiming at you, handsome."

Understanding what she meant, the Elite Guard transformed, trying to protect the relic, and drove away, quickly requesting backup. But, before he could be answered, Solar Flare transformed and drove after him, opening fire while chasing. As the mech said, all her shots phased right through his body… Nevertheless, she knew that, at some point, a lucky shot would destroy the device. All she had to do, was keep her prey on target.

… … …

« _Crazy Velocitronian Chick on my rear! Can't shake her off!_ » Smokecreen's voice yelled through everyone's commlink. Then, they could hear some shooting noises, before a roaring engine. The blue mech was undoubtedly speeding up, trying to leave her behind. « _Or shoot her off! Like this I can't reach the next Combiner!_ »

Looking across the gestalts legs, Bulkhead saw the pursuit, but he didn't have a clean shot, nor an opening to go and help the kid. And, for what he could see, the others were busy as well… Under other circumstances, he would've called for Knock Out ―his sister, his problem―, but the red mech was hurt, and wouldn't be able to catch Solar Flare. Trying to find a solution, he counted heads: Ultra Magnus was currently in a tight position under Devastator's foot, Ironhide and Chromia were trying to rescue the commander; and Wheeljack, Arcee and he were in a desperate wrestle against Bruticus… Not to mention that they were losing ground too fast, reason why, if they didn't find a way to make their opponents fall back soon, they all would end up stepping their own mines. "Scrap… This isn't going well…" The green Wrecker thought, while pulling forward his wrecking ball, to fight back a punch from the gestalt.

Arcee, seeing that Bruticus suddenly concentrated in Bulkhead, gave her luck a shot and transformed to go in Smokescreen's rescue. Surprisingly, she made it to the combiner's rear… but it didn't help her much: the moment she transformed, Solar Flare saw her and adjusted her targeting system to shoot the two-wheeler. The blue femme managed to avoid the first shot… but not the second. Although it made her fell on her back, Arcee was left almost unharmed ―only a nasty burn on her right wing, nothing serious.

But, from afar, it looked differently, reason why Smokescreen transformed and shot Solar Flare while she was still turned to him; and was pleased when he saw the champagne colored femme falling flat onto her face. Smirking, he transformed and went to check on his friend.

… … …

Shockwave was having a little struggle with Bumblebee, since, though he was stronger, the young warrior was way faster than him. So, the best strategy was to keep him as close as possible, making sure that the Autobot had nowhere to run; but, at some point, the warrior managed to kick him on the face, thing that made him stumble back a couple steps. Thanks to which he saw that Solar Flare fell into their enemies' plan. They tricked her to look away from the blue mech, who attacked the femme when she let down her guard. Now, his assistant was groaning on the ground, hurt.

Why were all his partners this foolish?

As soon as Smokescreen started to run towards the two-wheeler femme, the violet mech warmed up his cannon, and aimed…

… … …

Arcee groaned, while sitting up. For being Knock Out's sister, that femme sure knew how to shoot! Feeling the burn on her side, the blue bot glanced at her wing noticing the black stain where the plasma hit.

"You ok?"

The femme looked up, noticing that Smokescreen was offering her a hand.

"Yeah." She answered, reaching out for his servo… until something behind her friend called her attention. "Smoke, look out!" In a glimpse, she bounced at him, pushing the Elite Guard off the way of Shockwave's shot.

… … …

Seeing that his friends were under attack, Bumblebee, who was trying to reach the Polarity Gauntlet, stopped on his tracks, and, deploying his blasters, opened fire against the chief scientist. The relic was important, sure; but it wasn't worthier than his friends' lives. So, forgetting about the artifact, the yellow bot resumed his fight with the one-eyed 'Con, whose attention was still on the Elite Guard.

In a bold move to force Shockwave pay attention to him, Bumblebee tackled the mech, and, though he couldn't throw him to the ground, didn't waste time to start to punch and kick the scientist. But it all seemed to barely matter for the violet bot, who, suddenly, swung his cannon, hitting the warrior's helm.

Dumfounded, with his head ringing, Bumblebee stumbled one or two steps back… right before getting shot at short range.

With the law enforcer temporary down, the chief scientist went back to his real target, only to notice that Solar Flare came to, and was engaging both, Arcee and Smokescreen, at the same time. None of them were paying attention at him. It was a perfect chance… which was interrupted by a shot from above.

… … …

Proving to be grounded but not down, NIghtglider leaned against the rock wall's ledge and looked at the battle. His friends were having a serious hard time with the 'Cons, but Smokescreen was the one taking the worst part. Thanks to the Phase Shifter, he had a red X pending from his head. "Well, this might not be aerial support, but it'll have to do…" The black mech thought, while activating his blasters, aiming at the champagne colored femme, who just thrust herself towards the blue Elite Guard. However, when Arcee quickly got in between the Velocitronian and her prey, the flyer knew that his help was needless there. So he started to surveil the others.

The Triplets were doing fine ―maybe X-Brawn was having a little trouble with Wildriver, but out of that they were just fine. Side Burn just managed to trick Drag Strip, making him run into a boulder that sent him stumbling several feet ahead, where the youngest brother pinned him against the ground; Prowl was almost done with Dead End; and, in no time, both younger brothers would go to help the oldest one with the other Stunticon. With some luck they would be able to control those maniacs before Motormaster regained full consciousness… So, his help wasn't needed there.

Then, he looked at Hot Rod. Starscream was a pain in the aft, but the orange and golden mech was standing his ground, and using all the tricks in the book to make sure that the air commander concentrated in him, buying the others some time to finish the two remaining gestalts. He was keeping the Seeker busy by shooting and scrambling around. He would be fine without him.

But, then, his attention fell in Bumblebee and Shockwave, right on time to see the cyclops punching the young warrior so hard in the head that he practically heard the hit from where he was standing. Then, as the Autobot grabbed his helm, stunned by the pain, the 'Con aimed towards Smokescreen, who wasn't paying attention to him.

As soon as he saw the purple shine of the plasma warming up inside the scientist cannon, Nightglider targeted him with his own blaster, and shot.

The element of surprise allowed him to make the one-eyed mech miss by a hair. The shot still stroke the electric blue mech's doorwings.

"Scrap!" The black jet cursed when he noticed that Smokescreen fell on his knees at the pain.

Doorwings, for grounders, were an incredibly sensitive part of a Cybertronian body, just as wings were for flyers like him. Thanks to him, the young Elite Guard was now vulnerable to an attack… And Solar Flare knew everything about taking opportunities such as that one…

* * *

Predaking and the Trains were rounding the Decepticons who tried to run away in the chaos, when a jet approached at max speed, transforming into a white and red old Autobot. Feeling that the newcomer would wish to speak to him, the dragon-like Predacon transformed into his bipedal form.

"Are you Predaking?" The Autobot flyer asked, a little agitated.

"Indeed." He answered with a small nod to stress.

At the answer, the stranger transformed again into a jet, and, without explaining much, told him to follow him back to the city. Nevertheless, the Predacon simply arched an eyebrow but didn't move an inch, not sure if he should trust in this person.

"What are you doing?! Jazz needs you back at the main road!" The Aerialbot barked.

"I don't remember you being in the battlefield." was Predaking's dry retort. He might've agreed to help Ultra Magnus in this particular crusade, but, to his eyes, the Autobots were yet the same as the Decepticons; and so, none of them were trustworthy. Not until they prove themselves to him and his brothers. This particular bot was no exception to the rule…

"I was downtown with my team, the Aerialbots, containing a few fugitives, when you arrived to the fight. My designation is Silverbolt." He explained, but the mech of yellow optics simply narrowed his eyes, and slightly cocked his head to the side. The jet sighed and transformed back into his bipedal form to have a proper talk with the Predacon. "Look, Grimlock lost control of himself, and is putting everyone in danger. Jazz can't hold him up much longer, not even with the help of my men, and we all know that the other Dinobots would not dare to lay a finger on their comrade." He sighed. "They grew to consider each other brothers, due to the reduced number of their crew… and to our stupidity…"

"I do not follow." Predaking admitted at Silverbolt's last comment.

"The Dinobots used to be average Autobots, until they were captured by Shockwave. They were his prisoners for so long that everyone believed them dead… Until they escaped. But, by then, it was too late." The mech remembered the day they saw the five silhouettes approaching in the distance, their optics now red instead of blue. Optimus immediately mobilized the medics to take them into the base's safety, and to make them a complete check… It was thanks to this order that they realized what that mad scientist did to those poor soldiers during their time missing. "We have no idea of which means that maniac used to do such thing to them; we only know that, after they stopped looking like us, they also stopped acting like us. The next battle they had they fought like real animals! And not only that, but like real _Decepticons_ , for Primus's sake! They _enjoyed_ the kill, and that was when everything went to the pit! Some of us casted them out of the team, rejecting them; so, since everyone around them mistreated them due to what they were now, they willingly left the crew. They called themselves Dinobots and grew closer to each other, than any other unit in the Autobots' history." After this retelling, the Aerialbot looked straight into the Predacon's eyes. "If you mess with one, you mess with all of them. And that's why none of the other four Dinobots will fight Grimlock."

"So you expect me to terminate him?" The Predacon asked.

"We expect you to stop him long enough." Silverbolt clarified. Then, he transformed into his alt-mode again. "Hopefully, he will calm down and snap out of it." He added, before fly back.

Predaking remained where he was standing a klik or two after the jet retrieved, swallowing those guys' story. If that old bot was telling the truth, it meant that he and his brethren weren't Shockwave's first attempt of manufacturing an army of beasts; he already experimented with enemy soldiers for it, pushing them to the edge of madness. No. He wanted them mad, because Megatron wanted _beasts_. Animals. Mindless creatures that would terminate his enemies without doubting, without asking reasons, nor talking back. Mere pawns driven by instinct… Remembering the warlord's disappointment when he proved to be a sentient being with conscious of himself, the Predacon felt like he could relate with the Dinobots. Also, now he understood their similarities with the Decepticons, which were the result of the tortures they endured for who-knows-how-long.

Suddenly, a servo was lying on his shoulder, thing that surprised him. Turning to look who dared to touch him, the mech found himself face to face with Railspike, who assured him that his team would take care of the 'Cons they captured, that he could go now. Without exchanging a word, Predaking took his beast-mode and flew towards the city before even notice that he did.

* * *

From afar, Hot Rod saw his buddy, Smokescreen, falling in pain due to a shot that hit him on the doorwings; and, without even doubted it, he tried to run past by Starscream to help his friend. Unfortunately, the Seeker saw his intentions and pounced on him, sending them both to the ground, where the orange and golden bot felt five sharp claws digging through his left arm's platting. Unable to hold it back, he screamed in pain, for his opponent's delight.

"It seems that today, I'll claim another Autobot spark…" The silver grey Seeker boasted, readying to deliver the final blow.

"Ugh… You should really… Gah! Stop celebrating before victory!" Hot Rod groaned.

And then, a plasma shot shoved the Seeker off the warrior, who sat up, only to see that his injured arm was leaking an impressive amount of Energon. Sighing, he activated his commlink.

"Thanks, 'Glider." He said with a smirk.

« _Thank me by saving Smokescreen!_ » The black jet retorted.

Nodding, the Elite Guard started to run towards the point where Arcee was keeping Solar Flare away from the blue mech, who was starting to get up. The two-wheeler femme was clashing her blades with the ones of the Velocitronian, deciding that the four-wheeler couldn't take advantage of her speed in a close-range fight.

"I gotta say it: you fight well for being from Velocitron." Arcee mocked her opponent, when they blocked each other's blow again.

"Wish I could say the same…" Solar Flare snarled, before kick the blue femme in the middle of the waist, making her lose balance. Then, she kicked her again, this time on the side of the head, pushing her out of the way. "But you're just an Autobot." She completed her sentence, before turn to look at the Elite Guard, who was now aiming his blasters towards her.

« _Another Autobot is approaching you. Stay alert!_ » Starscream voice sounded through her commlink, making her notice the incoming Hot Rod.

The champagne colored femme chuckled, and prepared her sword. Time to finish the mission.

She leaped towards Smokescreen, who activated the Phase Shifter to prevent getting stabbed, and, then, tried to shoot the femme; but, once again, her enhanced speed allowed her to escape… and to trick him. Even with the relic activated, the instincts kicked in, and, as soon as he saw the gleam of the sword, the young mech covered his face. And that's when the Velocitronian shot the Phase Shifter.

The electric blue bot couldn't believe it, even when it all happened in front of his own optics: the relic was now lying in pieces at his pedes. "Oh, no…" He thought. It was their only plan… And it was destroyed.

"Mission accomplished." Solar Flare informed to her boss, before notice that Smokescreen's blaster's barrel was lying against her chest.

"I may not have the relic anymore, but you just lost your freedom. Servos in the air, 'Con!" The Elite Guard barked.

"What a lame consolation trophy, don't you think? After all, the relic is destroyed, the planet and your friends are doomed." The femme cooed, arching an eyebrow. Her mouth was masked, but the young Autobot could guess that she was smirking.

"Well, I'm sure that your lil' bro will _love_ to have some quality time alone with you."

She narrowed her eyes and cocked her head.

"Is that supposed to be a threat?" The Velocitronian femme asked.

In a swift move, she kicked the gun away from her, and made the mech lose balance. Before noticing, Smokescreen found himself under Solar Flare, whose swords were pressed against his throat.

"Next time you want to scare me, do not name the bot I played with when sparklings." She rose one of her arms, the tip of the sword now pointing at Smokescreen's face. "Not that there will be a next time, though."

Before she could finish her attack, a surprise shot shoved her off, hurting her in the middle of the back. Now venting in relief, Smokescreen sat up, noticing that he owed a big one to Hot Rod, whose cannons were yet steaming. The blue mech dedicated his friend a smile and a nod, right when the orange bot was almost shot by a silver grey jet, forcing him to jump out of the way.

Starscream was back in the fight, and, by the looks of it, Solar Flare and Arcee were groaning awake too.

The Elite Guard looked at the leftovers of the Phase Shifter, and sighed.

* * *

« _Base, this is Smokescreen; we… I just lost the Phase Shifter. It's destroyed… I'm sorry…_ »

The four children exchanged a panicked look. The relic was destroyed?! Wait, wasn't it the _only thing_ they had to stop the Combiners?! What were the bots going to do now?! Jack, almost hyperventilating, glanced towards the medics, who seemed to be as alarmed at they were. Of course they were… If the rest of the team lost the fight, there wouldn't be a single place in the planet where they would be safe. There were no other options, no backup plans they could use.

The oldest teenager saw Ratchet passing his servos through his face and helm, before look down at them. He didn't need to ask: the old medic was planning to open a ground-bridge to evacuate them immediately. In fact, before nobody could say anything, he was already typing coordinates into the mainframe. Knock Out, at the other side of the white and orange mech, had his optics closed, and his face lowered. He was as scared and disappointed as the other bot in the room. "No options…" Jack thought, sighing. This was it. The battle in which the Autobots ran out of luck… The one they couldn't win.

Suddenly realizing his own thoughts, the boy slapped himself in the face to snap out of it ―thing that called his friends' and Fowler's attention. No. He couldn't give up, because he was well-aware that the bots wouldn't do it. Looking at the green screens he could still see their live signals: they were all scared, wounded and tired, but they were still holding on… Arcee was holding on, to protect him and his mother. "If Optimus were here, he wouldn't give up, Darby; so don't start now, and try to think some plan of action." He told himself.

The moment his eyes looked at Ultra Magnus's picture, something came back to him.

"Raf, what did Magnus said about these enhanced 'Cons when he fought them at the clinic?" He asked, looking at the younger boy.

"Huh… Something about their armors…" Rafael said, scratching the back of his neck, and pulling up his glasses, trying to remember the commander's exact words.

Jack's face brightened up, and everyone could see that he just thought about something; but, before any of the kids could ask, the older boy ran towards the medics, trying to call their attention. He had to make them listen to him, but, most importantly, he had to be faster than Ratchet, who was almost done with the coordinates.

"Guys! Remember what Magnus said?! Their weapons _does_ hurt them!" The human shouted at the medics.

"I remember that much, but what do you propose?" Ratchet asked, turning away from the keyboard, and arching an eyebrow to the boy.

Knock Out turned to look at the brunette teenager too, now fully interested.

"We have to make them attack each other!" Jack said, excitedly, sure that this was the solution they were looking for. The other children's eyes widened at the realization of what he meant by that.

"And how are you planning to make them do such thing? In case you didn't notice, the major part of the team is injured, including Nightglider, who would've been the best option for your plan." The white and orange medic stated, before go back to the keyboard. "No. You four are getting out of this base. Agent Fowler…"

"I know. I'll take them to safety once we're out." The middle aged man completed with a nod.

"What?! Oh… C'mon, Ratchet! Just listen to me…!" Jack pleaded, desperate.

"No! You listen, Jack: you're brave, and you're an exceptional person; but you're still a _kid_! You heard the others: if things went south, all of you were meant to leave the base and get to safety. And that's what you're all going to do." The older mech interrupted.

"Wait."

For the first time during the argument, Knock Out opened his mouth, and, gently placing his good hand on Ratchet's shoulder, he asked his companion to pay attention to what the kids wanted to say. The red surgeon, then, nodded to Jack, indicating that he could keep talking.

Smiling, the teenager explained his idea: they lost the Phase Shifter, which was the quickest way to the regulators; sure, its destruction was a step back on their plans, but it wasn't a defeat just yet. They still had the other two relics, and, using them correctly, they could still defeat the gestalts. All they had to do was use the Polarity Gauntlet to redirect one of those things' attacks, making them shoot each other, thing that would weaken their armors; then, Arcee could use the Apex Armor to open a crack in the wound, allowing someone to fry the regulators.

At the explanation, the two medics exchanged an inquisitive look, arching an eyebrow.

"Is it possible?" Fowler asked, walking up to where Jack was.

"It is…" Knock Out conceded, massaging his chin, while ponding about the idea. "But, first, we need to recover the Polarity Gauntlet, which fell somewhere around where Bumblebee and Solar Flare clashed."

"It was a while ago…" Ratchet commented, showing the battle movements in one of the screens.

Then, he demarked the zone where the relic should be. There was nobody available to go and reach for it; one of them would have to join the battle. Sighing, the old bot prepared himself to bridge, being almost immediately stopped by the red mech.

"Where do you think you're going?" The Velocitronian asked.

"Someone must retrieve the relic, and you're in no conditions to fight." The white and orange Autobot stated, while introducing the coordinates onto the bridge's system.

"I might be hurt, but I'm still the faster of the two. I can go in, grab the device and handle it to Bumblebee, before getting shot." The younger medic retorted.

"Supposing you can transform with a broken arm!"

At the remark, Knock Out looked at his limb. It still needed a long while before being completely functional again, and it still hurt from time to time, if he had to be honest…

Growling, he shook his head, closing his eyes.

"Just… Give me a sedative for the pain! I'll be fine!" The surgeon demanded, not looking at the medical officer.

"You're not going, and that's final." Ratchet snarled. "Which leaves us with only one option…" He added, placing a hand on the lever.

"As soon as one of the 'Cons sees you, it'll be your termination. You're not fast enough to avoid enemy fire; you'll lose both: the relic _and_ your life! You can't go there!" Knock Out barked while motioning to the older bot's body.

"Then who else! There's nobody else available in here!" The white and orange mech retorted, frowning.

"Wrong."

A third voice echoed in the room, and the red surgeon's Energon froze on his veins in recognition. Meanwhile, the other inhabitants of the room were staring at the approaching figure with wide eyes and dropped jaws. Finally, the steps' sound ceased in the room, announcing that the newcomer stopped.

Ratchet looked at the Velocitronian, unsure of what to do.

* * *

Predaking reentered the city, finding more destruction than he remembered, and as he approached, he understood who was responsible for it: Grimlock was rampaging against anything that moved, including his own friends, who were trying to stop him without inflict any damage on the confused Dinobot. He did not even had to ask of what he was required to do. Roaring to announce his presence, the Predacon extended his wings and rose his neck, breathing fire to the sky in the process. It earned him Grimlock's attention, and, for so, fury.

As soon as he divised the other beast, the T-Rex charged against the newcomer with all his might. It was hardly enough to make Predaking lose ground, but the Predacon didn't count with the Dinobot behaving as an actual beast: as soon as they clashed, the silver grey and golden bot bit him on the neck, right above the shoulder. It was a very painful wound, as the dragon-like bot's scream let show. However, while Grimlock was being move by instinct, the leader of the Predacons was in full use of his intellect…

Using his wings, the larger beast took off, not to fly up high, but to use his opponent's weight against him. Making the dinosaur stumble upon himself, the Predacon soon found himself on top of his prey, and tried to subdue it by placing his front claws around the Dinobot's neck. It would've worked, but, unfortunately, even when running by mere predator's instinct, Grimlock remembered that he had the ability to spit fire; reason why Predaking had to decide between keep his prisoner, or keep his face. And so, the dragon jumped off the T-Rex, who was, once again, standing on its feet.

The Predacon was still batting his wings to remain in air when he saw the silver grey and golden bot's chest gleam, indicating that it was preparing for another fire breath. So, before he could aim at him, the flying beast started to move around, still on the air. "He's completely missing conscious of himself. He has become an animal!" Predaking thought, while surrounding his opponent, looking for a good angle to strike.

… … …

From afar, Slag looked as the two beasts seized each other, trying to decide how to approach the other. At this point, that Predacon must've realized that Grimlock was unpredictable when in this state, so he was sure looking for a weak spot; something he could explode to subdue the Dinobot. He was mentally preparing to see his leader and friend being defeated by a stronger beast… Or so he thought. When the dragon-like bot suddenly breathed fire to confuse the T-Rex, so he could tackle him from behind, Slag soon found himself transformed and ready to assist his leader.

"No!" Thanks the stars, Jazz wasn't too far, reason why he stood on the triceratops way. "We can't interrupt the fight, otherwise we might never catch Grimlock again!" Then, he looked at the Predacon. "He can bring him down without terminate him… I know it."

… … …

He didn't know how, but the dinosaur broke free from his claws once again, and was now planning what to do next. And, in a sly move, the T-Rex turned around and tried to whip him with his tail; an attack that Predaking managed to dodge without a big effort. "If that's how you're going to play…" The Predacon thought with malice, before quickly turn around, whipping his tail too. Only that he _did_ hit the target; and, by the time he turned over his shoulder, Grimlock was on the ground.

Time to finish the fight.

Pouncing onto his prey, the dragon-like bot pressed the Dinobot's head against the floor with one claw, while roaring at its audio-receptor, with his chest and his throat shinning for the fire. It was more than enough to stablish dominance; and, soon enough Grimlock showed himself submissive, and the Predacon, realizing the change of shade on his opponent's optics, let go from him.

As soon as he was free, the Dinobot transformed.

Seeing that their boss and friend was back to normal, the other four silver grey and golden mechs ran to his encounter.

"What…? What happened?" Girmlock panted, while massaging his aching helm, kneeled on the floor.

"Nothing, Grim. Nothing important." Snarl said, trying not to upset his leader with the truth.

However, as he rose his face, and his optics saw the devastation around him, including the burning and teeth marks, the leader of the Dinobots looked at his team, before turn to look at the Predacon, who quickly transformed into his bipedal form. The mech of the red visor got up and walked up to the one of the yellow optics. Once they were face to face, Grimlock offered Predaking a hand.

"Thank you." He said.

A little doubtful, the other mech accepted the peace offer.

At that moment, Jazz approached the group, asking Grimlock if he was okay now; and, after receiving nod, the lieutenant gas given an apology for the trouble. The white mech smirked, and dismissed the bulkier bot's worries with a wave of his hand.

"It's alright. You clearly couldn't control yourself." The Autobot said, before turn to look at the half destroyed city. "We rebuilt it once, we can do it again. What matters is that you're in control now, and that we need to help you to remain that way…"

Nodding, the Dinobot ordered his men to start helping with the cleanup.

* * *

Ultra Magnus received yet another kick from Devastator that sent him flying several feet away. Fortunately, Bulkhead and Wheeljack managed to catch him on time, otherwise he would've blown sky-high thanks to the mines they dug all over the place; but, on the other hand, the commander knew that fortune wasn't on their side. Without the Phase Shifter, they didn't know what to do, nor how to stop these… things. Groaning in pain, the blue mech stood up and grabbed his long gun. If he had to fall, then he would do it fighting.

Chromia and Ironhide, who were trying to get the gestalts attention so they would stop chasing after the Wreckers, weren't in a better shape. Anyone could see that they were exhausted… "They're highly trained, and their endurance is incredible. If they can't stand up to the Combiners for long, then none of us can…" Ultra Magnus thought, right before a green gleam caught his optic in a distant point of the battlefield. A ground-bridge? What? Was someone hurt and needed to be evacuated?

Not even in his craziest dreams he would've imagined that they would meet again…

"Huh, seems the docs couldn't hold her for long, huh?" Wheeljack commented, with his smirk safely covered by his mask.

« _Hey, Bulk!_ » Miko's voice echoed on the green bot's audio-receptors through the commlink.

"Miko?"

« _Drag those things' fire! Trust me, there's a new plan!_ » The Wrecker didn't need to be there to know that she was probably grinning.

Then, the call ended.

"What did she wanted?" The white mech asked with an eyebrow arched.

"Huh… Um… They want us to drag the Combiners' fire to us." Bulkhead said, not really sure if he got the message alright.

Suddenly, the commander pushed his men out of the way of a shot, which left a steaming crack behind them.

"It won't be a problem…" Ultra Magnus muttered, looking at the hole.

… … …

Arcee and Smokescreen were dealing with Solar Flare, when, suddenly the ground-bridge opened a little bit further from where they were.

They couldn't believe their eyes! She was actually out in the field?!

« _Arcee…_ » It was Jack's voice. « _Listen to me: we'll try to make the Combiners attack each other. It should weaken their armors. So, once they're bumped…_ »

"Understood." The two-wheeler said, and, leaving the champagne colored femme completely for her partner's fun; the small femme, transformed and started to drive towards the rock wall where Nightglider was. "Hey, I could use your wings!" She told him through the commlink.

… … …

From up the rock, the black jet reached for the side of his head, activating the communication's channel, with his right hand.

"Yeah, me too…" He sighed.

« _Remember that I always told you not to strain your wings when hurt?_ » Knock Out's voice suddenly appeared on his audio-receptors.

"Uh… Yeah, why?"

« _This time you have my permission to forget all the things I always told you! Now get Arcee in position!_ » The surgeon barked through the commlink.

Smirking, the black mech tested his wings' mobility. It wasn't great, but it was good enough for him to maneuver with someone pending from him. In a confident move, the flyer jumped off the wall, and transformed in midair, aiming towards the blue femme, who was already waiting for him with open arms. Once they were close enough, she clung onto the mech's back, and allowed him to fly in circles around the two gestalts. None of those ginormous monsters seemed to notice their presence, as they remained concentrated on the five warriors in front of their feet ―especially Bruticus.

"Ok, this could be a good position for a surprise attack. » The jet announced

« _Wait for my signal, 'Glider… I mean it…_ » That voice! It couldn't… She was yet recovering from her long stasis; the femme wasn't in conditions to fight, or was she?

… … …

From behind the two towering mechs, a crimson and golden figure grabbed the Polarity Gauntlet, testing how it worked. Once it was activated, the rest of it was a piece of cake… Now, to wait for a perfect chance. "No eyes on me. Good." She thought, while aiming up to the Combiners.

Time to see what this little baby could do.

… … …

Ultra Magnus, Ironhide, Chromia, and the Wreckers, saw the two gestalts warming up their cannons, preparing to open fire; and, this time, they were trapped. They were so close to the mined grounds that they couldn't maneuver to escape… Scrap. It was the end…

Or not.

As soon as the monstrosities shot, a magnetic field made Devastator turn around, wounding Bruticus in the middle of the chest; thanks to it, the Combiner stumbled a few steps back, before Arcee dropped herself from Nightglider's back, activating the Apex armor in the last possible minute. It opened a huge crack on the gestalt's armor, giving the flyer a perfect visual of the regulator.

"Good bye, ugly!" He mocked the Combiner, before shooting at the device.

In no time, Bruticus was, once again, the Combaticons.

Actually glad of seeing that there was only one more to go, Ultra Magnus resumed the plan, and told the Wreckers to take care of the five confused Decepticons. Wheeljack and Bulkhead bumped fists at the orders, before the white mech commed the new teammate… Well, actually, their long lost teammate.

"Hey, girl. Still interested in some Wrecker activities?" He teased, knowing the answer, while running towards the Combaticons, right behind his best buddy.

« _Now you're talkin'…_ » She answered.

And so, the two mechs engaged the five 'Cons, while their third member ran up to them. This was going to be _fun_.

… … …

Solar Flare came to, only to realize that there was only one gestalt left, and it was not even the brightest of the three. Also, Shockwave and Starscream were actually struggling with their opponents; the Stunticons were almost taken down by the Triplets ―actually, Drag Strip and the Dead End were already in cuffs, and the other two wouldn't last much longer―; and that guy, Skywarp, never returned, meaning that Thundercracker hurt him really bad. In short: this whole mission was going south… _Way_ south.

To make it worst, she felt someone's barrel against her back. Looking above her shoulder, she saw the Autobot called Smokescreen trying to arrest her. Frowning, she made a quick move, and, breaking free from the mech, transformed and zoomed off. An action that didn't went missing by her boss…

"Solar Flare, return immediately." Shockwave ordered.

« _I'm not fool enough not to notice where this is headed to, boss. And I'm not planning to stick around to get arrested. If you stay for it, it's your call, not mine. Solar Flare, out._ »

Within seconds, she was nothing but a champagne colored blur on the horizon.

* * *

The Autobots, Predacons, Dinobots… whoever was left was either helping with the cleanup, or taking prisoners back to jail. Either way, they were all busy… "Well, at least it's over." Jazz thought, lodging some rubble onto one of the vehicles that would take the trash to the dumpster. However, he stopped at mid-action, when he saw something golden below the scraps of what used to be a residential building.

Digging a bit further, he realized what it was and hurried to pull it out, before it was thrown away.

A very large and ancient sword was now resting between his servos. It was Drift's. "Good thing I saw it on time; if someone threw it to the trash, the guy would've gone ballistics…" The lieutenant thought with a smirk, deciding that he would handle it back to its owner once he was conscious again. Then, he resumed the cleanup, until something else happened.

"Hey, boss! Something's coming!" Swoop warned everyone, making the group squint their optics towards the horizon.

Considering the past few hours, the bots immediately dragged out their weapons, only to be stopped by Firestar, who gasped at the pink reflection of the vehicle that was zooming towards them…

It couldn't be… She was alive!

… … …

Elita knew that they had to hurry. The battle could've be ending already, and she just knew that the team was needing back-up. As they approached Iacon's borderlines, the joy she felt at the vision of Firestar and some other of her femmes couldn't be described. Some of them made it through! It was one of the best news she has got so far! In fact, as soon as she transformed, her old teammates hurried to give her a tight hug. She couldn't help but to chuckle.

"At ease, soldiers." The pink femme said, chuckling, and the others let go from her frame.

"Right… Sorry, commander, it's just that… When that bomb went off, we all thought…" Firestar started to explain, a hint of enormous joy was visible on the corner of her optics.

"Did Lieutenant Chromia survived too?" Override wondered, talking fast, as it was her habit.

"Yes, she did. But she's back on Earth and needing my help." Elita hurried to say, before recognizing a short white mech of blue visor, who she hasn't seen in eons. "Jazz!"

"Elita!" He run to welcome her, since they were old friends. "Ha! There you have it, Blaster!" He shouted to the sky. "I knew you couldn't be terminated! You're way too stubborn to get killed by a mere bomb!"

The pink femme smiled and laughed at the comment, before tell the mech that she needed access to the place where the relics were being kept. The lieutenant grimaced, recognizing that petition: it was the same thing that Ultra Magnus required before disappearing. He sighed.

"The Academy's vaults. But… you need the master code to access it, and only the chairman has it." He said, repeating what those two youngsters said a while ago. "Or so I heard…" He quickly added with a shrug.

The femme smirked. Oh… She knew where to get the codes.

* * *

Back at the Autobot base, Knock Out saw his sister's signal disappearing from the battlefield, and couldn't help but feel relieved. No matter how much he denied it, nor how he wished not to feel that way, that femme was still his sister; they were family, and it meant that they had to stick together. Besides, he has reached bottom, and he was, somehow making it out of the hole. Perhaps, there was still time to save her too…

He hoped so.

However, he didn't have time to keep thinking on Solar Flare's future, for he had another stubborn femme to pay attention at the moment.

"What the scrap…?!" He exclaimed when he noticed where she was, and what she was probably doing…

Yup.

She did it again…

* * *

Brawl was officially impressed. Sure, that Velocitronian femme might've been cute and fearless; but this Wrecker girl was unstoppable! Even when he had been enhanced in firepower and armor, she was not only enduring all the hits, but also answering them with an amazing fierce. At some point they locked their servos, struggling to regain dominance.

Right at that moment, her commlink pinged.

"Hey, doc… Ugh… I'm… argh! Kind of busy right now…!" She announced through her gritted teeth.

« _Sunscorch, you know the rules! You were cleared to go and help to retrieve the Polarity Gauntlet, not to engage the fragged Combaticons! You're overdoing it!_ » Knock Out barked through the line.

Suddenly, she let go from the grip, reason why Brawl found himself falling towards the ground.

"I-" Sunscorch punched her opponent on the face. "-am not-" A good aimed kick to the midsection. "-over-" In a swift move, she passed the line of her hook around the Combaticon's neck, tying his wrists on the process. "-doing it!" A kick in the back of the knees, and Brawl was on the floor, with the femme gripping him firmly with the reel of iron cord that she had attached to her hip. "You're worrying too much, K-Out. I'm totally fine. Having fun, actually." At the sound of Vortex trying to surprise her from behind, the femme gave him a high-kick on the face. The mech soon desisted. "Besides, I'm not alone. Bulk and Jack are here." She added, looking at her old unit partners, who were enjoying themselves with the rest of the Combaticons.

« _Yeah… That's also worrying me…_ » If those two couldn't keep a human child put, then how would they keep an eye on a full-grown Cybertronian femme, who ―by the sounds of it― defeated a Decepticon, minutes after recovering from two million years of being kept on stasis.

An explosion called everyone's attention, making all the Autobots and Decepticons look towards the place where Devastator was fighting Ultra Magnus, Ironhide and Chromia; only to notice that, as soon as Arcee and Nightglider tried to help, the gestalt kicked the two-wheeler, sending her towards the mined field. Fortunately, she was wearing the Apex Armor, so she didn't suffer a single scratch; unfortunately, the Combiner was now aware of the trap… He wouldn't move another inch.

"Scrap…" Ironhide cursed, calling back to base. "Ratch, we're screwed, they know about the mines. If you have some sort of plan C, I'm all ears!"

* * *

The medics shared an alarmed look.

Plan C?! They already used all the alphabet letters!

Without another Combiner to create a crossed fire, the Polarity Gauntlet was barely a diversion to keep the gestalt entertained while they think about something. But, being entirely honest, none of the two medical officers knew what to do now…

And, then, the miracle.

« _Omega Outpost! Do you read me?! Here Elita-One, over! … Is anybody there?!_ » The message ran through the communications system like an answered pray. The children actually jolted in happiness at the sound of the pink femme's voice.

"Here Ratchet! The team requires immediate support!" The older bot in the room hurried to answer.

« _I guessed so, this took longer than I thought. Pass me the coordinates, I'll open a space-bridge right at the battlefield._ »

Without needed to be told twice, Ratchet started to transmit the coordinates to the femme.

* * *

Ultra Magnus, Chromia, Ironhide, Nightglider, and everyone who was in front of Devastator, was leaping from one side to the other, trying to avoid getting shot. This was bad… The battle was not going on their favor; and, if they couldn't think a plan of action soon, then all their efforts would be worthless…

The commander started to feel impotent and weak at the thought of losing the battle; but he didn't see another outcome, not in the close future.

At least… At least he tried…

But, suddenly, a space-bridge opened right behind him, reminding everyone that there was one person missing in that battle: Elita-One. The femme exited the portal in her alt-mode, at max-speed, gaining the Combiner's attention. Then, once he was turned towards her, she transformed an aimed her blasters… But didn't shoot.

"Made you look." She said, smirking.

Devastator arched an eyebrow before understand what she meant by that, and tried to turn around as fast as he could; but he wasn't fast enough, and a blue energy wave hit him right across the chest. The force of impact sent him backwards, stumbling, until he finally fell flat on the ground.

It was then when the major surprise came out of the vortex…

* * *

Back at base, another Autobot signal activated, and Ratchet typed the codes to know who was their back-up.

"By the AllSpark!" He yelled at the picture that popped up in the screen.

Three of the four children gasped in surprise, next to Fowler and Knock Out.

"But… How…?" The governmental agent looked at the oldest bot. "How is it possible?"

"It isn't…" The Velocitronian answered for the Cybertronian, his optics wide and fixed on the screen.

* * *

The faces of both factions were of pure surprise, with a mix of horror in the case of Starscream, whose claws were once again around Hot Rod's neck. But it were probably Bumblebee and Ironhide the ones whose happiness was off the graphics, as the space-bridge closed behind the tall figure of a red and blue mech, who nobody thought would be seen again in this world…

« _Team, the scanners are picking up a strange signature. Can you give visual confirmation of…_ »

"He's back, Ratchet. Optimus is here!" Bumblebee celebrated through the commlink.

* * *

The children leaped in joy while sharing a group hug that not even Millie could escape, leave alone the poor agent Fowler, who found himself surrounded by teenagers. The elation over such news spread through the base rather quickly, as soon, even the two medics were celebrating, putting aside their previous differences.

Jack mentally channeled Ratchet, as he thought a very loud 'Thanks the AllSpark', while smiling widely.

It was a miracle.

* * *

The Prime didn't waste time in catching up with his former friends, he would have plenty time of it later. Now, he had to concentrate in take down the Combiner; and, as far as Elita told him on the way back to Earth, he had to concentrate his attacks on the chest. Masking himself, the tall mech tightened his hold onto the Star Saber, while charging against the fallen giant.

Coming to, Devastator tried to slap the Autobot away from him, but found his servo being pulled aback by some kind of energy bubble. Following the track, he got a perfect glimpse of a crimson femme, who was bearing the Polarity Gauntlet, using it to protect the Prime. Infuriated, he put all his back into recover full mobility of his limb, yanking from the electromagnetic pulse. At the other end of the line, Sunscorch felt herself being swept off her feet. Fortunately, Bulkhead and Wheeljack noticed this too, and hurried to grab a hold on her, making sure that she didn't get herself dragged by the gestalt's strength.

With Optimus getting too close to his chest-plates to comfort, Devastator hurried to bring forward his other servo, transforming it into a blaster.

"Don't you even _think_ about it!" Arcee yelled at this, while jumping in the way of the shot. The Apex Armor protected her just well, reason why she only winced when her body, which flew away because of the explosion, hit the ground. Groaning, she started to collect herself from the ground, as her leader and friend ran past her. "Finish the fight, Optimus!" She cheered.

The gestalt quickly prepared to shoot again, but someone targeted his optics, so he couldn't aim properly. Shouting, he shoved his free arm, crushing the tall stones next to him; but completely missing Elita, who transformed and got out of the way right on time.

… … …

Meanwhile, Ironhide, Chromia and Ultra Magnus resumed their assault on the gestalt's joints, trying to keep him down on the ground. It seemed to be working.

… … …

Knowing where this was going, Shockwave tried to break free from Bumblebee's grip to shoot off the Prime, but the Autobot designated Smokescreen fell onto him before he could do so, and was soon backed up by that flyer, Nightglider. Between them and the yellow warrior, the chief scientist found himself unable to fight back.

… … …

The Combaticons, seeing that the Wreckers forgot about them, tried to help their fallen comrades; unfortunately, this was noticed by Elita, who called Arcee for help. The two-wheeler appeared in vehicle-mode, only to transform and activate the armor again.

Both femmes' stood up to the mercenaries.

"You want to reach them…" The blue one started.

"… You have to pass through us." The pink one finished.

… … …

Optimus leaped, Star Saber in hand, and, in a graceful move, pushed the sword's tip through the Combiner's armor, reaching the regulator, and barely scratching Hook's inner systems. With the trinket gone, the six Constructicons started to feel that their fuel lines were on fire, and, automatically, broke formation. The six of them appeared groaning and cursing, all of them lying on the ground.

Scrapper, who was face-down, turned, only to find that the Stars Saber was dangerously close to his throat.

"I suggest you, and your team, to surrender willingly; if so, I promise that no further harm will come upon you." The blue and red mech said, frowning.

The leader of the Constructicon looked around, scanning his team's conditions: they were all tired, feeling numb, and with their tanks probably low for all the Energon they burned when the regulator broke. No choice… Sighing, recognizing that prison was warmer than a grave, the green and purple mech rose his hands in defeat.

The leader of the Autobots nodded at this action, and put the sword away. Then, he unmasked himself, and activated his commlink.

* * *

« _The battle is over. The Combiners are no more._ » The thundering baritone voice of Optimus announced through the mainframe's communications channel; and everyone at the base leaped in joy for such news, including Knock Out, who couldn't hold himself back.

Because of the noise, the medic that they had lying on a stretcher appeared, stumbling upon his own pedes, gripping his helm as if it was about to explode, wondering what just happened. When his optics landed on the figure of Ratchet, recognizing him from his arrival at Delphi's medical center, the strange mech of red optics gesticulated a muted 'thank you' to the older medic, who nodded in acknowledge. The former Decepticon went through enough suffering already. It was good to know that he helped.

Then, smirking, he turned on the communications channel.

* * *

« _It's great to hear your voice again, Optimus!_ » Ratchet said through the commlink.

The blue and red mech smiled at the comment.

"It's good to be back, old friend." He commented, closing his optics for a brief moment, knowing that he couldn't wait to be in the company of the medic and the children again. This was a second chance for him, one that he wasn't planning to waste.

"OPTIMUS!" The unmistakable voice of Ironhide yelled, calling for him.

Before being able to turn around to receive him more properly, the weapons specialist was already clomping at the taller mech's midsection, pulling him into a forced bear-hug that swoop him from his feet. Though, at first, Optimus felt his eyes widening and his spinal strut cracking, he couldn't help but end up chuckling at the welcome. Truth be said: he missed this guy too. He and Ratchet were his best friends, the closest thing he had to brothers; and the fact that the red warrior couldn't onboard the _Ark_ before its departure always haunted him.

"I missed you too, Ironhide." He managed to say, although the bulky mech was still strangling his inner systems.

At the comment, the warrior let go form him, allowing the rest of the team to gather around their old leader.

"Ha, ha! The boss is back!" Bulkhead celebrated.

"Welcome onboard, captain." Wheeljack said, nonchalantly as usual, winking an optic at him.

"It's great to have you back, Optimus…" Arcee breathed, taking off the Apex Armor.

"Sir." Ultra Magnus saluted him with a happy smile.

… … …

Since nobody was paying attention to them anymore, the Combaticons tried to get away as silently as possible…

"Going somewhere, boys?"

… and got completely busted by Sunscorch and Nightglider, who left Shockwave in hands of Bumblebee.

Retrieving her golden mask, the femme flashed them a devious smile, while frowning. To make sure they wouldn't try to attack her nor her partner, the crimson bot waved the Polarity Gauntlet in front of their optics, making them gulp.

"You know this game, 'Cons. To the ground, and servos where I can see them." The Wrecker ordered, and the five mechs sighing, obeying.

Nightglider chuckled, and patted his old partner's shoulder-plate.

"Oh, it's _so_ good to have you back, Scorch!" He said with a big smile.

She returned the smile and bumped fists with the flyer. Yes, it was great to be back in the game…

However, her processor was somewhere else, with someone else.

… … …

Now the battle was over, Elita found herself being received by Chromia in a similar way of how Optimus was received by Ironhide: the cerulean femme pulled her in a tight hug, while celebrating her return. The pink bot couldn't help but chuckle at the affectionate gesture, before they both broke the embrace, turning to look at the two mechs. The weapons specialist was finally giving the former clerk some space to vent.

"The old gang is back together, huh?" Chromia chuckled, patting her friend on the back.

Elita let go a laugh.

"Old indeed." She said with a smile.

"Don't let Ratchet hear you." The cerulean femme smirked in complicity.

Both of them shared a lighthearted laugh, before start walking towards the team.

Things were finally falling into place…

… … …

Afar from there, the Triplets were done with the Stunticons, and Hot Rod cuffed Starscream, who was claiming that he wasn't over yet; meanwhile, Bumblebee was restraining Shockwave who was strangely not putting any effort in break free…

"Need help with that one?" The orange Elite Guard wondered, when passing by, next to the Triplets and the prisoners.

Since Nightglider wanted to go with his former partner, and Smokescreen was hyperventilating at the mere idea of Optimus being back with them, the former scout offered himself to take care of the cyclops. He wanted to go with the red and blue mech too, but he knew that they would have plenty time to catch up once they were back at the base; besides, there was a lot to do, with so many 'Cons around. They still had to go for Skywarp… wherever he fell.

"I don't think so." The yellow bot smiled, with a small shrug, while pulling the violet mech into his feet.

But, to tell the truth, his optics were fixed in Optimus. It was so hard to believe that he was back! The mech who raised him, who taught him everything, was with them again. He wasn't sure how was it possible, nor what Elita did back on Cybertron; but, if there was _one thing_ he knew, was that he was immensely happy of seeing him again.

Suddenly, another servo took over Shockwave's restrains, and Bumblebee realized that Hot Rod was helping him with the prisoner.

"Go." The orange and golden mech chuckled. "Nobody's going to judge you."

Smiling, the young law enforcer nodded and went to welcome his old friend and leader, while the Elite Guard took care of the chief scientist, who was, yet, silent. Yet, it wasn't because he recognized his defeat, but because he was unable to understand how it happened. The Autobots' chances of achieve victory were of 1%; it was virtually impossible for them to take down the Combiners, even with those relics. Sure, they defeated Menasor and Bruticus, but not Devastator. The green gestalt would've been enough to kill those bots.

Then, his optic concentrated in the figure of the Prime, who was now talking with the yellow warrior, and realized why his plan failed: the leader of the Autobots was an element that he didn't took in consideration; because there was no logical way to put him into the equation variables. He was terminated. There were no more Primes, there weren't people who could wield the powers of the Matrix… Until now. But there was a way to solve the problem…

The moment in which the young Autobot tried to pull him towards the rest of the prisoners, Shockwave pushed him away, and broke free, readying his cannon to shoot.

Hot Rod, though a little dizzy for the hit, deployed his blasters… only to found himself restrained by Starscream, who stepped behind him, and passed his cuffed arms around the soldier's arms, so he couldn't aim.

The Triplets heard the struggle and turned around, noticing the orange mech's predicament; and Side Burn quickly left his brothers to go in his rescue. However, it wasn't his own security the one that worried Hot Rod…

Realizing who the target was, and seeing that he couldn't use his own weapons, the Elite Guard sounded the alarm:

"OPTIMUS!" He shouted with all his strength.

At the yell, the Prime and his team looked up.

Shockwave shot, at the same time that Hot Rod broke free, and hurried to tackle the scientist. But it was a half second too late…

However… Again, there was a variable that the Decepticon chief scientist missed to see…

Elita jumped in front of the mech, receiving the shot for him…

"ELITA!" Chromia shouted in horror, running next to the pink femme who was now being held by Optimus and Ironhide. One second, her friend was calmly walking next to her, the next one, she became a blur, leaping in front of the tall mech.

For the blue and red bot, the sight of the pink femme lying in his arms with a shot in the chest was a painful déjà vu… The images of the night in which the warehouses were raided were mixing with the ones of that present moment, and the same emotions were rushing through his spark, including his impotence.

Gritting his teeth, he looked up.

… … …

Hot Rod was wrestling with Shockwave, while Side Burn was trying to set him free from Starscream's grip, which was threatening with rip his arm; when, finally, he received a very strong punch on the head from the chief scientist who, finally breaking free, stood up. The orange and golden mech, seeing this tried to get on his feet to restrain the 'Con… But it proved to be pointless.

The moment the cyclops got up, three blaster shots hit him straight in the chest, knocking him out…

Following the trajectory, Hot Rod, Side Burn and Starscream noticed that Optimus, Ironhide and Chromia had their blasters deployed… and steaming from the recent shot.

And, finally, the Seeker rose his hands in surrender.

* * *

The moment the bots rushed into their base, carrying Elita's unconscious body, was the moment in which Ratchet became a blur that ran back to the med-bay, preparing the surgery table to treat her wounds… Only to realize that, once again, he couldn't do anything to save her life. Looking at the scanned images, the medic saw that the shot damaged the dispositive that was attached to her power core, reason why she was losing vital energy. If the artifact wasn't removed fast, then Elita would power down… forever.

"So?! Take that thing off her!" Chromia yelled.

"I… can't. If I try to remove it, I might end up killing her." He admitted.

Meanwhile, Knock Out looked at the images from the femme's interior, and his optics widened in recognition. He had seen something like this when he had a look to Shockwave's blueprints, but… it didn't make sense, unless…

"She was a guinea pig…" The red medic muttered.

"What?" Ratchet asked, arching an eyebrow at the Velocitronian.

"I know what this is! It's a prototype of the regulators!" The surgeon announced, gesturing to the scanned pictures, making the older medic gasp in horror. So that was why that son of a glitch kept the commander of the femmes alive! To see if it was possible to attach those damn devices to a bot without killing the subject!

"Can you remove it?" Optimus asked, trying to remain calm.

"Remove it?! I don't even know how did that maniac managed to attach such abomination to her systems without terminating her!" The Velocitronian said. "I'm afraid that the only one who knows how to take it out, without making a permanent damage, is the medic who performed the first surgery…" He admitted with a long sigh.

"What?! So you're saying that none of you can do _anything_?!" Chromia snarled.

"We fear so…" The oldest medic admitted. "As Knock Out said, the only one who can save her is the same person who did this to her. And we have no idea who it was, nor… if it is still alive…"

After such news, the whole team fell into a sepulchral silence. So that was it? Elita survived the fragged war just to be terminated minutes after the final battle? Optimus's optics saddened as he concentrated in the pink femme who was struggling, putting all her might to cling to the life. The memories of the night in which he took the agonizing figure of Ariel to Alpha Trion, hoping that the master archivist would know some procedure that the medics didn't, shocked him. Back then, the old mech told him that it was impossible to safe her with her original body, due to the damage it received. The only hope for her spark was to be strong enough to survive a forced upgrade, in which the compromised parts would be replaced. And she did… She survived; against all probability, she survived. Ariel was always a fighter, and, when she woke up, the first thing she did was look after him. She changed her designation to fit his, and vowed to help him to put an end to the civil war… so they could move on…

Everything she did was for him… yet he couldn't do a damn thing for her…

"Doc, you saw the one-eyed-glitch-head's entire database; don't you know who's responsible for this?" Ironhide asked to the Velocitronian mech. "Maybe he's still alive!"

"He is."

Everyone turned to look at Prowl, who was standing at the med-bay's doorframe. The middle triplet was taking the prisoners to a safe room, until they were delivered to Cybertron, and couldn't help but hear the distressed conversation that was taking place. Usually, he wouldn't mind someone else's businesses, but… there was a life at stake. So, taking a deep vent, he admitted to have read the whole _Project Combiner_ … including the name of the medic who performed the surgical procedures on the volunteers. He said that it was someone they all knew…

* * *

Grimlock was being scanned for the twentieth time, when a space-bridge opened in the middle of the clinic's lobby, opening way for Ultra Magnus, the Triplets, and Ambulon, who decided to return as soon as possible. "Heh… He's still alive after all." The leader of the Dinobot's thought at the sight of the blue mech, who, recognizing him, dedicated a nod to the silver grey and golden bot. Grimlock mirrored the gesture, before show him the other Dinobots and the Predacons with a tilt of his head. They were all helping with the wounded ones and with the destruction left behind by the battle; it was a sight that warmed up the commander's spark… If only he weren't there to arrest someone…

Sighing, the Wrecker walked up to the Dinobot, and asked for a punctual medic.

… … …

"Ambulon!" First Aid celebrated the moment the doors of the consulting room opened, revealing the medic's figure. The youngling, happy of seeing his friend alive, ran up to him, embracing the guy, who strangely didn't push him away. The older mech wasn't a fan of physical contact, so this was a little… too much. Yet, he said nothing, and accepted the gesture. "I'm so glad that you're fine! And, also, so sorry! I-I should've done something! Try to stop them! I-I…"

"Nah, it's fine. They would've killed you." The old bot said, deep inside meaning his words. This apprentice was the closest thing he had to a friend, so he couldn't help but care about him; meaning that he was glad to know that he didn't get involved in the battle. However, his optics soon landed in the other medic in the room, and his face became serious. "Pharma." He greeted the chief medic with a nod.

"Ambulon… What the scrap happened?" The old medic asked, briefly looking away from the patient he had in hands. "First Aid said that those guys hijacked you, and then, this…" He said gesturing to the guy he was patching up.

"You tell me." The former 'Con snarled, his eyes redder than usual.

Suddenly, Ultra Magnus and Prowl appeared at the door, next to the wounded medic, who quickly asked First Aid to take him to Chromedome ―a mnemosurgeon―, saying that there were some thing that he seriously wanted to forget. Unsuspicious, the nurse did so; and the commander entered the consulting room, grabbing the doctor of the blue protoform by the arm.

"Let's not make a scene, doctor. Ok?" The blue mech said.

"You know about Delphi, don't you?" Pharma asked, receiving a nod. "What will happen to me?" He wondered with a sigh.

"You'll be arrested for war crimes, but, first, you'll use your abilities one more time."

* * *

Back on Earth, Ratchet couldn't help but feel his spark freeze inside of his chest when his old good friend Pharma exited the vortex, next to Ultra Magnus and Prowl. He? He was the one who performed such monstrous procedure on Elita? But he was an Autobot! It had to be a mistake! However, the moment the medic of blue protoform locked optics with him, the white and orange mech knew that it was true… His friend, the person with whom he spent his days as a medicine student, the one he graduated with… That person cooperated… with the Decepticons…

"You…?" Ratchet muttered, devastated inside.

Pharma simply sighed, knowing the things that were rounding his friend's processor at the moment, and looked at the rest of the team.

"Where's the patient?" He asked, trying to sound as professional and calmed as possible.

Two hours later, the prototype was lying on a metallic table, and Elita was stabilized and in her way to full recover. Pharma, on the other hand, was in cuffs, and in his way back to Cybertron, where he would be judged for high treason to the Autobots… and to their entire species. Before entering the space-bridge, he looked back at Ratchet. The white and orange mech stiffed at his gaze and averted his optics.

"So this is how it ends, huh? You and I as enemies." Pharma sighed, before start walking again.

"I knew that Delphi was a bloody nightmare…" Ratchet muttered, with his optics still looking away from the prisoner, but gaining the other medic's attention. "But nothing justifies the things you did." He looked back at his former friend. "You don't deserve to be a medic."

"I did what I had to, in order to keep the medical center operational! The soldiers needed Delphi running!" Pharma defended himself.

"Keep telling yourself that." The white and orange mech snarled, starting to walk away. "Someday you might actually believe it…"

Then, the blue medic was pushed through the portal, back to his home planet.

"Ratchet…" The medic looked up, noticing that it was Rafael the one talking to him. "I'm sorry about your friend…"

Surprised by the boy's words, the old bot shook his head.

"It's alright. Someone who's capable of such atrocities can't be my friend anyway…" He said, looking at the bridge, where a parade of prisoners was taking place. "But thank you for your kind words, Rafael." He added, looking at the boy, who smiled at him.

… … …

Optimus was next to Elita's slumbering body, silently thanking to heaven for her survival, when Hot Rod entered the room, asking for the pink femme's state.

"She'll be fine." The blue and red mech told him with a reassuring smile.

"Oh, thanks the stars…" The Elite Guard sighed in relief. "For a moment I thought… As an Elite Guard, I'm meant to protect the lives of my people, so, when I saw that the shot hit her, I thought that… I failed. As I failed in protect my home so long ago…" He admitted with sad optics. "But! It's good to hear that she'll be fine!"

Before being able to answer, the Prime started to feel something warming up within his chest, and it wasn't his spark. Surprised, he opened his chest-plates, revealing the Matrix of Leadership, which was… gleaming. It shouldn't be. Not after he used it to protect the AllSpark when Unicron endangered it. After it, the collective knowledge of the Primes that was being kept inside the Matrix returned to the Well. Maybe, the Thirteen allowed him to return for some other reason than saving his friends? After all this wasn't the same body he left when he jumped into the Well of the AllSpark; this one resembled his original one.

Suddenly, the Matrix's light beamed upon the youngling's chest-plates, which opened without the Elite Guard's consent, and the precious relic took refuge inside of its new host.

"Wait-! Wha-?!" Hot Rod cried a little bit in panic when his chest closed, securing the Matrix. "What… What just happened?" He wondered, touching his chest-plates, looking at Optimus.

"The Matrix has chosen a new Prime." The older mech explained.

"SAY WHAT?!" The yell called the attention of Side Burn and Smokescreen, who were helping Prowl and Ultra Magnus with the prisoners. Thanks to this, the blue Elite Guards appeared at the med-bay, wondering what happened. "Me?! A Prime?! I… I'm not up to it, sir! I-I-I can't! I'm barely an Elite Guard!" Hot Rod started to blabber, suddenly noticing the presence of his two best friends. "I can barely make _them_ listen to me! How am I supposed to lead a species?!"

"Roddy." Smokescreen called, calmly. When his friend turned to look at him, he offered him a friendly smile. "You'll be fine. You're the best of the three of us."

"B-but…"

"You'll be fine." The blue mech insisted, smiling.

It seemed that the orange soldier started to believe it, since he calmed down. Optimus smiled too, and glanced back at Elita, before decide that it was a good time to go and check in the rest of the team.

Outside the med-bay, he saw the prisoners being pushed towards the space-bridge, and couldn't help but sigh in relief at the thought of the war being finally over.

"Optimus!" Turning around, the tall mech saw the figure of Bumblebee walking up to him. "Have a minute?"

… … …

Now that the catastrophe passed, Knock Out knew that there was no excuse for him to keep procrastinating the explanations he owed to Sunscorch, who was watching the Decepticons' parade next to Nightglider at the control room. Sighing, he started to approach the femme, right in the moment when X-Brawn appeared, pushing Daybreak.

"Hold on." The crimson Wrecker said, gesturing the oldest of the Triplets to wait. The traitor looked up and gulped in horror, when his optics connected with the femme's glare. "Hello, _partner_ …" She hissed.

"S-Sunscorch…! I…! I can-! Argh!"

Before he was able to finish his stammering, the Wrecker kicked him in the tank with her knee junction. It knocked out all the air out of Daybreak's systems, reason why he found himself gasping and coughing; only to be lifted by the crimson femme, who was holding him by the chest-plates.

"Soldier!" Ultra Magnus yelled the moment he returned from the space-bridge. "Put down the prisoner, now!"

"… Saved by the bell." Sunscorch muttered, while doing as told.

However, the moment the traitor was gone, was the moment in which she saw the Velocitronian mech, who found himself gulping. After the way she reacted to her former partner… what was she going to do to _him_? It was time to find out, since she was already standing right in front of the red medic, whose vocalizer suddenly started to glitch. It was the moment of truth…

"You're probably wondering why my optics are red… Well, it's a long story, but, putting it short…" Knock Out found his speech being rudely interrupted by a slap to the face that almost dislocated his jaw.

"Ouch! That must hurt…" Miko winced from the platform.

The other children grimaced too at the sound of screeching metal; even Ratchet and Ironhide couldn't help but close an optic in empathic pain.

The Velocitronian tried to recompose, while massaging his jaw.

"That was for joining the 'Cons!" Sunscorch barked… before throw a right hook to the surgeon in the other cheek. "That, for all the slaggin' scrap that you surely did under Bucket-Head's orders! And this…!"

Knock Out shut his optics and gritted his denta, as soon as he felt the angry femme grabbing him by the chest, lifting him until he was on his tiptoes. He couldn't blame her for being pissed at him, not after everything that happened… Primus! He would be pissed if roles were reversed! So, the surgeon decided to silently endure the punishment she believed appropriate…

But, much to the red medic's surprise, instead of another blown, he felt a pair of lips over his own. Opening his optics, he found himself being pulled apart by his sparkmate, who was now much calmer than before. Stunned, he simply stared at her; his optics wide and longing for an explanation.

"This is for finding me…" She finally said, so softly that he wasn't sure if she was talking to him or to herself. "I'm sorry for the pain I caused you." The crimson femme added, lowering her head.

By impulse, Knock Out reached for her hand, and locked them in an affectionate grip that made her look up to his optics. Although he didn't say a word, his smirk was all she needed to understand the message behind his gesture; and, so, she pulled him into an embrace. After so long they were back together… That was all that mattered at the moment…

Nevertheless, there were other matters that couldn't wait, such as Optimus calling for the former 'Con, while entering the control room. The team assembled around the leader, looking expectantly to the Velocitronian; since the Prime was back, the status quo changed. It was up to the blue and red mech to decide whether Knock Out was allowed to stay or not.

The surgeon let go from his femme and walked up to the tall bot.

"I've been informed about your parole by Bumblebee." Optimus said, gaining a surprise blink from the red mech, who briefly glanced to the yellow bot who was standing a couple steps behind the Prime. "Knock Out." He earned the medic's attention once again. "You know I believe that all sentient beings are capable of change; and, although the circumstances back then were suspicious, I do remember you asking to join us. For so I ask: do you wish to join the Autobots?"

The question hung in the air, while the children exchanged a happy look; including Millie, who, after meeting these bots, knew that this was the place where her friend belonged. Breathing heavily, the girl looked around, seeing that the whole team was smiling proudly, because the medic passed all the tests. Even without having heard the answer yet, they knew it already: he was one of them; this was just to make it official…

Still silent, Knock Out dedicated a look to Bumblebee, who winked at his newfound friend, before look at his sparkmate, who was standing behind him with a warm smile in the lips. Suddenly, wherever he looked, he saw allies… friends even. Including the humans; and he couldn't help but to chuckle at the thought of considering those human beings his friends. He felt good among these people, and couldn't help but feel that this was the team he should've joined, so long ago. And still, there was something about it that didn't let him be. The Autobots were great, he could admit it, but… But it wasn't good enough for what he wanted.

He sighed, pondering each word he was about to say.

"If you would've asked me that a couple months ago, I would've jumped at the chance without even looking." The idea made the 'Bots smirk, knowing that, a couple months ago, he was still struggling with his Decepticon traits. "I joined the 'Cons because I was drowned in my own hate; and I despised each and every day of it…" He admitted, shutting his eyes at the memory of every single humiliation he had to go through when being part of that faction. "I never thought I would be given a second chance after it, and yet…" He dedicated a warm look around. "I felt good working with you, guys. It was nice to be treated like a sentient being, with voice and vote." He admitted, earning a smile from the Autobots and the children, even from Fowler… "I've really came to like you." When saying this he mockingly glanced at Miko, who winked at him, remembering the joke. "But… I'm afraid that I don't wish to join you."

The answer was so unexpected that nobody knew how to react. Wasn't this headed somewhere else?!

Taking a deep vent, Knock out prepared himself to explain better.

"With all due respect to you, and to your team, Optimus, I do not wish to be neither an Autobot nor a Decepticon. Although my spark is closer to your faction's way of thinking, it is still an army; and, I'm more than tired of being a soldier, of following orders just because someone with a superior rank tells me to." Frowning, he briefly closed his optics and shuddered at the thought, before look at Optimus's eyes once again. "I wish to regain control over my own life. So, if it's all the same to you, I will return to be a Neutral. That's what my spark wants…"

A moment or two happened in complete silence, during which the Autobots exchanged surprised looks, before Optimus nodded. If that was what Knock Out wished, then he was in his right to be factionless; after all, he could understand the mech's way of thinking, especially after listening at Bumblebee's debrief about his time among the team.

However, a small feminine voice suddenly called the red and blue bot's attention, making him notice a little human girl which he didn't recognize. "That must be Millie…" He thought, remembering that the yellow warrior mentioned something about Knock Out being friends with a human child. He put his whole attention into her, encouraging the kid to repeat her question. Although the imposing figure of the bot in front of her, the tenderness in his eyes gave Millie enough trust to talk.

"Since he's not one of you, does Knock Out have to leave?" She wondered, scared. If the answer was 'yes', it would mean that she would lose her friend again, and she wasn't prepared for that. They hadn't being able to talk yet!

Optimus blinked in surprise at the question, before offer a kind smile to the girl.

"No." The tall mech answered. "Being a Neutral, Knock Out is free to stay or leave whenever he wishes." He added, looking at the surgeon, who smirked at the child.

"Then, it seems that I'll be staying for a long while." Knock Out said with a playful wink.

Millie gave him a smile filled with pure happiness.

Finally, after a road filled with bumps, everything seemed to be falling into its rightful place…

* * *

 **Phew... At long last! Now all I have to do is upload the epilogue, which I will do... next week. Sorry, but I won't be able to do it sooner.**

 **Before leave, I want to leave an explanation in here, which I forgot to include in the story: I, somewhere, read that, in the comics, when Pharma was sent to Delphi, the center was promptly surrounded by the Decepticon army; and that the medic had to make a deal with them in exchange of safety, so the 'Cons promised not to attack the clinic, as long as he sold them the parts of those patiens he lost in surgery. If I remember right, the parts they wanted were T-cogs; but, eventually, the 'Cons wanted so many that Pharma started to kill his own patients. That's why I included him in the story: I decided that in the original Project Combiner, the soldiers who volunteered lost their original alt-form; so Shockwave decided to use Triple Changers for the new gestalts. But, since it is an unusual condition, so the scientist started to call to all Decepticon medic available, asking to replace the volunteers' T-cogs with the ones of Triple Changers. And that's when Pharma appears in the picture: when Delphi was taken, the deal was that he would fetch them with Triple Changers' T-cogs...**

 **I think that's all I needed to explain, so... *a sudden noise of screeching metal makes her look back* What the...? *Sunscorch passes by, dragging Knock Out, who pointlessly tries to grab a hold into any piece of furniture on the way* Huh... Do I want to know?**

 **Sunscorch: Nope!**

 **Oh... Ok... *Looks back at the screen* Please tell me what you think!**

 **See ya!**


	40. EPILOGUE

**What's up? Here Calliope with the Epilogue of the story, are you ready?**

 **But, first...**

 **Predaking** **:**

 **I felt the need of answering to you first. *Taking a deep breath* Here it goes: don't you f*ing dare to compare me with animal abusers! *All OCs appears in the room, restraining her from jumping at the Predacon* If you _must_ know I had a dog for sixteen years, and it hurt me when it fell sick; especially because it was so old that take it to the vet meant sacrifice it, and I couldn't bring myself to do it. I like animals; sometimes better than people, because the man is the only creature that kills for sport (such as hunting), which is something that talks poorly of him, since we're the only creatures that has full use of reason in this world (in the real life; sorry Predaking, but I need to remind you that you're a cartoon character here). As far as I know there aren't animals who kills for pleasure, as you said. They kill because they need to eat and/or protect their territory and their own; sure, some species are more violent than others, but that's all.**

 **Do I think the animals are my equals? Well, no. But it doesn't mean that I don't notice that the animals are capable of thinking or feeling, or that they're conscious of themselves. As I said: I had a dog for sixteen years, and it knew how to communicate with me whenever it wanted to tell me something (there was a funny episode in which it thought that my yellow highlighter was a lollipop, reason why it started to ask me to give it over; I didn't because it wasn't candy, so my dog took it when I threw it away, and I found my highlighter covered in saliva, and lying on the floor next to my pet which looked pretty disappointed XD).**

 **I think I know which part gave you the wrong idea, so let me tell you: the "mindless beasts, driven by instinct" part came right out of the show... and the comic. In** ** _Transformers Prime: Rage of the Dinobots_** **Shockwave tries to erase all trace of self conscience out of Grimlock, saying that it was the most efficient way to get the perfect beast soldier they were looking for; that's why Grimlock refuses to take beast-form in that comic, because, whenever he does, his conscious starts to fade away. That's why I wrote that scene on the fic.**

 **And, also, when our favorite cyclops started cloning predacons, his intentions were the same: mere beasts that would hunt and kill Autobots, because their masters said so. After all, none among the 'Cons thought that said creations would be able to, suddenly, show intelligence. Remember? That's why they discarded the first clones when you, Predaking, proved to have a mind and be capable of wish a future of yourself; and, when Shockwave created Skylynx and Darksteel, Starscream commented that the scientist made something to them in order to make them less independient. Remember that?**

 ***The OCs takes the angry author away. Sunscorch stays behind***

 **Sunscorch: *Looking at the screen, taking the author's place* Hi... Um... Calliope isn't... *Looks at the room where they took the author to* feeling really well right now, so I'll handle the rest of the messages, ok? *Looks at Predaking* Just for you to know, she actually liked you before this...**

 **Bumblebee** **:**

 **Sunscorch: Hi, 'Bee! What's up? *Chuckles* Guess what? We surpassed the two houndred! Wow... No wonder that Calliope was so tired all the time... And, you're right: the cookies were absolutely delicious! I'll pass your thanks over to Galatea! *Suddenly turns around, activating the commlink. Seconds later, Galatea appears in the room* This one's for ya, girl!**

 **Galatea: *reading the review* Oh! Um... *smiling and blushing* You're welcome! And, please calm Predaking down... *takes seat next to the Wrecker***

 **Megatron** **:**

 **Sunscorch: *narrowing her optics* ... If the world was normal, none of us would be here.**

 **Galatea: *reading the second part of the review* No comment...**

 ***Calliope reapears in the room* Sorry about what you just saw, guys. That comment really got my nerves...**

 **MadnessJones :**

 **Thank you for your review! I'm glad you liked the story!**

 **Yeah, the amount of subplots became a little problematic in the last chapters... That's why they took me so long to finish them.**

 **About the Combiners, the idea came from when I found Ambulon's character; since he can only transform into a leg, I thought about Shockwave trying to create gestalts by scientific ways. Later I found about the Enigma of Combination in a comic, but I decided not to use it. That way, only the 'Cons would have Combiners, thanks to which they would be real threats to the Autobots; then, I added the enhanced firepower and armor. The Dinobots came from the comic I mentioned earlier, since they don't leave the planet...**

 **Sympathy effect :**

 **Hi again!**

 **Ha, ha! You're welcome! I just wrote those summaries so people didn't have to go through the comics I used... Since this fic was mostly a follow up for one of the TV shows, there was a chance that many didn't know about what the heck I was talking about with some characters... Sorry that I forgot to wrote them in the chapter those characters appeared. I forgot about the fact that they were from another _Transformers_ franchise at the time.**

 **About Dinobots and Predacons... Well, the animated shows tends to be more "children's friendly" than the comics... I've found plenty weird stuff in them, and many characters that weren for general audiences. *reads the part about conscience again, and tenses up* Please go to Predaking's answer in this part... *relaxes* Also, there's something that I didn't respect from the comic and many other stories: the Dinobots tends to talk like Tarzan. I mean, I don't know how things were on the original show, but apparently Grimlock talked like this: "Me, Grimlock, king! Me, Grimlock, stronger! Me, Grimlock..." You get the idea...**

 **That's why I liked _Rage of the Dinobots_ , because they didn't speak like that... Until Shockwave caught the poor T-rex and his way of speaking started to change T_T**

 **About Suncorch's fight scene: it was about time for me to put my OC in the spotlight.**

 **Sunscorch: *crossing her arms* Indeed...**

 **I'm glad you liked her!**

 **About Elita: yeah, I couldn't leave her with that thing still attached to her power core, so...**

 **And, yes, the scene about the relocation of the Matrix might've ended a little bit weird; but I decided to follow the canon here: Hot Rod actually receives the Matrix and becomes Rodimus Prime (who's a joke compared to Optimus, but... oh, well...). The reason is simple: if there are two Primes, one of them can take over in Cybertron, so Optimus can stay with his team! :D**

 **Finally, about Pharma: apparently, in the comic, he becomes mad, kills Ambulon with a chainsaw (hello _Friday the 13th_ ) and starts joking about it (thanks to which First Aid ends up shooting him with a long gun...). However, it is also said that he, at some point, started to kill his own patients to have parts to sell to the 'Cons. And that's why Ratchet, in my fic, tells him that he doesn't deserve to be a medic; because, sure, Knock Out had killed some Autobots, but there was a war going on, and he was a Decepticon at the time. However, the Velocitronian was a good medic to his patients. Pharma, on the other hand, didn't have the metal to fight for his patients and ended up killing them to save his own aft. But, thanks for asking me this, you gave me an idea for a one-shot. :)**

 **And, no. No redemption for this mad doctor... ¬¬**

 **...**

 **Warning: English isn't my mother language, so there might be some grammar mistakes in here.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own** ** _Transformers_** **franchise, nor its characters. It is a registered trademark of Hasbro.**

* * *

 **EPILOGUE**

Millie was packing the few things she owned into her pink backpacks, happy for the change that her life was about to take, when her eyes fell in the two objects that were still unloaded: one was her copy of _The Little Prince_ , which pages were now yellow and stained because of the book's age; and, the second thing, was a stuffed animal, a red fox, which she hasn't seen in years. A smile found its way to the girl's mouth when she remembered the moment in which her friend showed her the old toy. It was yet hard to believe that he kept it after so long.

 _"_ _Of course I did!"_ He claimed at her surprised face. _"An important person in my life gave it to me."_ He had added with a warm smile.

It happened a week ago, before he left to attend trial, back on his home planet. The stellar-cycle was over, and he had to present to court. Bumblebee left with him, promising that they would return before she noticed; but she couldn't help her sadness when the portal they used to travel came to life. What if the yellow mech was wrong? What if her friend couldn't return? She didn't like to think about that possibility…

 _"_ _Hey, hey… It's okay. Everything will be fine, I promise."_ He told to her, softly, trying to cheer her up. _"Here."_ Millie could remember her confusion when he opened the planks of his chest, and pulled out the stuffed animal. _"You can give it back to me when I return, ok?"_

But it has been a week, and they were still in another planet. Though the messages keeps popping up at the base's mainframe ―some of them addressed to her, and/or to Sunscorch, her new guardian among the bots―, it wasn't the same as to actually have him there. She missed the talks they used to have after school…

"Millie? Are you ready?" Ms. Lena asked, knocking at the open door of the small room.

"Yes!" She answered, cheerfully, while quickly grabbing the book and the toy, pushing them inside of one of her bags.

… … …

At the orphanage's lobby, a middle-age black man, dressed in a grey suit was talking on his cellphone, while waiting for the little girl to appear. The moment he saw her coming down the stairs, he hung up, and received her with a bright smile, which was mirrored by the child. Ms. Lena, the person he has been talking with for over three months now, appeared shortly behind the kid, and smiled when she saw Millie running up to the man, and receiving him with a hug. She was soon going to be twelve years old… She was lucky.

"We will miss you, Millie." The woman said, bending to talk to the child at her eyes level.

"And I'm going to miss you, Ms. Lena. Thank you for everything." The child answered with a smile.

"I hope you know how lucky you are, Mister Fowler." The woman said, looking at the man who just became the adoptive father of the kid.

"Trust me, miss. I know." He assured her, while placing a hand on the shoulders of his new daughter. "Ready to go?" He asked, tilting his head towards the door, receiving a happy nod. Smiling, he helped the girl with her bags. "Thank you for everything." He added, looking at the woman, before walk out the door, followed by the little girl.

Once sitting at the passenger's seat of the black classic car, Millie couldn't help but shiver a little at the realization of what this adoption really meant: her whole life just changed. From now own, she was no longer a girl without family; she was now Millie Fowler, a girl with a dad. "And the weirdest family there is…" She chuckled at the memory of the bots and the other kids, who once told her that they treated each other like a family.

As they drove away, Millie took one last glance at the glade where she met Knock Out, and wondered if the bots would let her use that portal they had to visit the place someday. Or, maybe, Sun could drive her there… hopefully with the red medic.

"Oh! I forgot to tell you." Fowler's voice made her look back towards the man, snapping out of her thoughts. "I got a call from the bots. It seems that something happened at the base, so we'll have to make a quick stop there before go home. I hope you don't mind…" He apologized, hoping that she wasn't expecting to see her new house right away.

"It's ok, dad!" She told him with a bright smile.

Fowler chuckled. 'Dad'… It would take a while for him to get used to the idea…

… … …

By the time they arrived to the hangar E, night was already falling, and the middle-age man was growling, hoping that all the drive wasn't for nothing. Millie simply got out of the car and followed her new dad towards the human-sized elevator in complete silence, thinking that it would be nice to see Sunscorch, just to talk a little before move to her new house. The crimson femme always listened to her about this matter, since she admitted that nobody took her in when she was a sparkling; so she grew up by her own. It took the Wrecker an hour or so to explain what a hot spot is, and how does Cybertronians look after the sparklings that doesn't have creators, but it was worth it. In the end, they became even closer after that chat; and, the day Millie and Fowler announced that he was planning to adopt her, the crimson femme yelled in joy. It would be interesting to see her reaction now…

Only one problem: it seemed that there was no electrical power inside the bots' base. It was pitch black down there, reason why the cerulean optics of the Autobots gleamed with especial intensity.

The elevator stopped, and Fowler guided Millie out of it by grabbing her hand.

"Did you forget to pay the electricity bill, Prime?" Fowler mocked the Autobots' leader…

And that's when the lights went on. Millie couldn't believe her eyes: the other kids, and June Darby were there… and they prepared a welcome party… for her… While the bots chuckled at her surprised face, the children ran to hug her.

"Welcome to the family!" Rafael cheered.

"Sorry for the rainbow-colored decoration." Jack said, scratching his head. "It was Miko's idea…" He added, narrowing his eyes and pointing at the Japanese teenager, who was standing next to him.

"Hey! I wasn't going to fill the place with _one_ color, when I don't know which one's her favorite!" The alluded girl defended herself.

Astonished, Millie looked around, noticing that the whole team was there to welcome her ―the bots even prepared a table with Cybertronian snacks for themselves, so they could be part of the party―; even Elita, who spent a month under medical revision, just to make sure that the prototype that Pharma took out of her didn't leave any side effects…

And she couldn't help but cry in happiness.

Thanks to this, all the humans in the room were immediately hugging her.

"Th-thank you…" Millie managed to say. "This is… the best present of my life…" She added, looking at everyone.

"And you haven't seen ours yet!" Ironhide laughed, before whistle to the back of the base.

And, to Millie's complete joy, at the weapons specialist's sign, Bumblebee _and_ Knock Out walked into the control room. The medic looked different from the last time they saw each other. He changed his optics color again, reason why he recovered his original navy blue; even his biolights were navy blue now; and the claws, though not completely gone, were more subtle now.

"Hey, there." He said with a smirk.

"Knock Out!" Elated, the girl ran up to the surgeon, who kneeled down to receive her. Once she was close enough, he scooped her up, and they shared a hug, just like the time when he rescued her from the Decepticons. "I missed you!"

"Me too, girl. Me too…" The medic muttered, smiling.

"And the good news keeps coming." Sunscorch announced, with a smirk, appearing from behind the surgeon. "K-Out and I came to an agreement: both of us will be your guardians from now on." The Wrecker said.

Millie's eyes littered up with complete joy at the news, however, knowing that none of the others had more than one Autobot guardian, she looked up to the team to confirm that it was true.

"It was the only way to make him shut up…" Wheeljack groaned, rolling his optics, making everyone in the room chuckle.

"Sunscorch will remain as your assigned Autobot guardian, since she belongs to our team and faction, and is also a trained soldier." Optimus said, gesturing to the femme. "Knock Out, however, offered to assist her in keeping an eye on you." He explained, gesturing to the medic. "Being a Neutral, his decision has been pondered, and respected." The tall mech finally said, with a warm smile.

At the idea of being with her two best friends, Millie teared up again, making everyone in the room smile and/or chuckle, knowing that it was because she was happy.

"Alright, people! Let's get this party started!" Miko yelled, while going towards the music equipment she brought, and the boys went for the drinks and the food. "Oh! And, I'm gonna want a picture of the new Team Prime for my wall! You've been warned!" She added, when everyone was with their guard low.

"Miko…" It was Ratchet who groaned this time, instead of Bulkhead, who simply laughed.

The younger medic rose to his feet, still holding the girl, and walked up to the group, joining the party.

Optimus, meanwhile, watched the scene with tender optics.

There could still be two 'Cons missing on the planet, and a political mayhem at Cybertron, but his team, his _family_ , was safe. At long last, everything was fine…

Well… At least for now.

 **THE END**

* * *

 **Well, it has been quite a trip, hasn't it? So, there's nothing else to do in here for me but to say good bye to you, guys. Thank you for your support and good wishes! I enjoyed it, and I hope you did too, despite of the random arguments we might've had on the way...**

 **I'll try to upload the one-shots I promised. I decided to put them under the title** ** _Redemption: Afterwards._**

 **Good bye!**


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